School Cancer Family Friends Halloween
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: A rewrite of 'Ballet Reunion Cancer Family Addictions' but without all the extra stuff - i.e., the flashbacks, the addictions, the ballet classes. Leaves a lot out. That one was getting too long and I was veering off track. Halloween. Let me know if you like this one better. Better summary inside. I don't own anyone. *Please Review*. *Thank you for reading/reviewing*
1. Monday: Ashley: Meeting Serena

**This is told mainly from the POV of Karen's oldest adoptive daughter Ashley. She joins the glee club. Her younger sisters Kate and Anna have cancer. Karen, her family and the glee club all now live in Denver, CO. Maya from PLL makes an appearance and Bella from Twilight's mentioned but doesn't appear. Some names have been changed. I don't own anyone. **

***Please review. Please leave more than a 2 word review.* Thank you for reading/reviewing.* **

* * *

**Characters: OC**

Lucy: roses friend

Pam: karens girlfriend

Tom: alexas boyfriend

Rebecca: evans girlfriend

Brian: mandys boyffriend

Serena: ashleys girlfriend

Keesha: maries dead girlfriend

Ashley, Hannah, Lily, Rose, kate, anna, Alexa, Evan, Mandy, Louisa, Marie: karen and jesses kids. Mandy and Louisa are twins. They all have their own addictions other than evan. Kate and anna have cancer.

* * *

**Monday, Sept. 8th**

**Ashley**

During lunch that school day I was sitting in the big green park across from the big, tall, red brick high school. The day was warm, bright and sunny. The wind blew through the trees. The smell of pine was in the air.

"Hey," a female voice said.

I looked up and saw Serena, a girl id seen around the school, standing by me. She was wearing a cute, 50's, black-and-white polka dotted full skirt, black tights, black flats and a white camisole.

"Hey," I said.

"Ok if I sit?" she asked.

I shrugged which she took to mean 'yes'.

"Cute skirt," I told her as she sat by me.

"Thanks. Where ya from?" she asked.

"New York."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

"Which part?"

"Brooklyn but I was born in Georgia. You?"

"New York as well, Manhattan."

"Oh."

"Hey, listen Ashley," she said, leaning forward and locking her arms around her knees.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I'm sorry about what the cheerleaders said at lunch the other day. They're not the most understanding group of women."

"Yeah, I noticed."

Earlier that morning I'd overheard the cheerleaders bitching about their problems. Which bothered me because some of us, such as myself, had real problems such as one of my sisters having cancer. Evidently Serena had picked up on this - she'd been in the hallway when I'd been and had also overheard the conversation - and had felt bad. And had come to find me. I didn't know her but so far I had nothing against her. She seemed nice.

"Anyway, what are you doing after school?" she asked.

"Um, well, cheerleading and then ballet from ?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to come over. I could pick you up after ballet."

"Ok."

"What's your cell?"

We exchanged cell numbers.

* * *

It was hours later, 7:40 that night. Serena had just pulled her white car into the driveway of her large white house, me in the passenger seat.

"And here we are," she said, putting her key in the ignition and turning the car off.

She opened the door and got out, waiting for me to. I leaned down and picked up the large purple duffel bag I brought with me to ballet each time I went, opened the door and got out of the car, closing the door behind me. Serena pushed a button on her car keys and the locks in the car clicked closed.

The night was dark and cold. I followed Serena into her large white house. She closed and locked the tall white front door behind us. The porch light was on.

"I'll be right back," she told me; "you want anything to eat?"

"Um."

"There might be some pasta in the fridge, I'll check. Make yourself comfortable."

"Ok."

She wandered off.

In front of us and to the left, where the stairs were in our house, was the fireplace room. There was a big fireplace built into the wall. In front of it, a few feet was a low rectangular coffee table and behind the coffee table was a white sofa and some white chairs. Opposite the room from the fireplace was a wall with a large aquarium built into it. On the other side of that wall was what I presumed to be the kitchen, with a door in between the aquarium wall and another wall. There was also a large wall near the end of the large room, with a sliding white wood door in the middle of it, split in 2. The house was warm and very quiet.

Above the fireplace on the mantle were several items, 4 of which were glass. One was a butterfly and one was a rose. 2 were lilies, one a calla.

In between cheerleading and ballet I'd stopped at the coffee shop and had gotten something to eat but hadn't eaten since, so I was pretty hungry.

I set my duffel bag, school bag and purse on the wooden floor of the foyer, which was similar to ours.

The house smelled like new carpet.

I wondered where Serena had gone.

It was weird, being in a house this quiet. Usually my house was filled with people, my adoptive parents and siblings. The only time it was relatively quiet was at night. But at any given moment we knew either Kate or Amanda/Mandy, my other sister, might have to go to the hospital.

"Hey," Serena said from somewhere behind me.

I jumped a bit: "Oh."

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," she sat down right on the white carpet; "you're welcome to sit down."

I sat down on the carpet beside her. She smelled like lilies.

"It smells like new carpet," I told her.

"Yeah well, we just had new carpet put in," she replied.

"Oh. Wow it's so...strangely...quiet."

She leaned forward and looked at me: "your place isn't?"

"No. The only time it's quiet is at night."

"Oh."

I glanced at the glass objects on the mantle: "I like the art."

"Thanks. My sister made the butterfly and the lilies during her dialysis sessions. My mom made the rose."

"They _made_ those?"

I was impressed.

She nodded.

"Wow. What about your dad?"

"Oh, my parents are divorced and we don't get to see him that often."

"Oh. What does your mom do?" I asked.

"She's a nurse at Denver General. And yours?"

"Um..."

She looked closer at me, waiting.

"She, used to be a psychologist."

"Oh. And your dad?"

"Is an artist."

"Cool."

I thought back to Serena's dialysis remark.

"So she has cancer," I remarked: "your sister."

"Yeah, AML."

"So does mine."

"Oh. You hungry?"

"Yeah."

We stood up and went into the large kitchen.

The kitchen was large, wooden and granite. Serena went over to the large metal fridge and pulled it open. Her long wavy blonde hair spilled down her back.

"Oh, we do have pasta," she muttered, closing the fridge.

She brought out 2 white bowls of pasta covered with shower caps and set them on the gray granite counter next to the fridge. She pulled the shower cap off one and stuck the bowl in the white microwave.

"You want anything to drink?" she asked me: "we have wine, 7 Up, juice, lemonade, tea, water, hot chocolate."

"Is it cranberry juice?" I asked.

"Yeah, want some?"

"No, we just always have cranberry juice on hand for Amanda."

"Oh."

"And 7 Up, for Kate."

"Oh."

"Water's good," I said.

"VitaminWater ok?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She pulled 2 bottles of VitaminWater out of the fridge and handed one to me.

"Thanks," I said.

"We have 2 bottles of 7 Up. One's for Sierra and one's for Mom and I," she told me.

"Sierra's your sister?"

"Mmmhmm. Amanda's yours?"

"Yeah. Well, one of them."

"Mmm. How many siblings do you have?"

"Several."

"Wow. Kate's the one with AML?"

"Uh huh."

The bowl turned in the microwave, whirring. The cabinets were of a medium wood. I opened my vitaminwater.

"When was she diagnosed?" I asked Serena, of Sierra.

"10 months. And Kate?"

"2 years."

Meaning sierra was diagnosed when she was 10 months old and kate when she was 2 yrs.

We both got quiet for a bit.

* * *

Serena set her bottle of VitaminWater on the counter and came over to me.

"Hi," she said softly, coming up behind me and brushing my hair over one shoulder.

She put her lips to my exposed skin.

I brought my hands behind me and started unbuttoning her shirt.

"You smell good," she told me, moving her mouth along my neck.

"Thank you," I said working the buttons.

The house had gone quiet, the microwave stopping.

"Should we get that?" I asked.

"Um. for dinner?" she returned, winding her arm around my waist.

"Yeah what were you thinking?"

"Sex."

I laughed; "honey there are much better ways to get your-"

"I know. We can always reheat it even though. I just did."

"No I'm hungry. Let's eat now."

"Ok."

She detached herself from me, put on oven mitts, took the bowl out of the microwave and set it on the counter while she put another one in and set the time.

"Ok if I eat in the living room?" I asked, picking up the bowl.

"Yeah long as you're careful," she replied.

"Ok."

I went into the living room.


	2. Tuesday: Ashley: Glee Club Auditions

**Tuesday**

The next morning at school there were 2 papers taped to the white wall outside the drama room. Serena and I walked up to them. One was a sign up sheet for the school play, the other for the glee club.

"You interested?" I asked Serena, who had her arm around my waist.

"No, I think I'll just stick with ballet."

"Oh. Ok."

"How was work?" she leaned her head on my shoulder as I wrote my name on one of the many black lines listed on both papers.

"Ok, long."

"Mmm."

"After, we went to Village Inn."

"Hey I gotta get goin. But let me know about tonight."

"Ok."

She moved her head, kissed me and left. When she drove me to school she'd asked if I want to hang out at her place tonight.

I looked at the writing on either list; the auditions for the play were at lunch and the ones for glee club were after school. This meant I couldn't go to cheerleading. I pulled my phone out and texted Jessica, who was in cheerleading with me and told her I couldn't go due to auditions. I'd stopped going to ballet after school.

"Auditioning for the play?" a female voice asked.

"Huh?" I asked, startled.

I put my phone away.

"Auditioning...for...the...?" the young woman repeated slowly.

She had long straight dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her body had filled out nicely.

"Yeah."

"Yeah me too."

She wrote her name on the top line of each list, and put a star after it.

"I'll probably get the lead, I always do. I was the lead in Spring Awakening and Wicked, up in New York. The star's a symbol."

"A symbol?"

Of what, I wondered.

"Yes."

She turned and left.

I pulled out my phone and texted Serena, letting her know I wouldn't be meeting her at lunch due to auditions.

A female voice came near my ear, humming 'I'm Not That Girl' from Wicked.

"I'm Not That Girl," I said, recognizing it.

"Hm?" the girl asked.

"From, Wicked."

"Oh. Yeah. Wicked. You auditioning as well?"

I looked at her and noticed she was very pretty, with light skin, long blonde hair and huge blue eyes. She seemed sad, quiet and sad. I got an image of her holding a baby.

"Yeah. I'm Ashley."

"I'm Dianna. I was Glinda in Wicked. I hope she's not there, at the auditions."

"She?"

"Rachel. We don't get on well."

"Oh."

"Well. I have to get to history but it was nice meeting you."

"You too."

She left.

From the information she gave me I gathered that the young woman that had first signed up was Rachel, and she and Dianna had both been in Wicked.

It was 8 a.m. by this time. Students were milling about in the halls, talking, texting, standing by their lockers.

That morning I'd gotten home at around 3, 4 a.m. I then headed straight to ballet. After the glee club auditions after school I planned to go home and sleep untill it was time for Evan and I to pick Lily up at the airport.

Kate and Mandy were still at the hospital, and we suspected Marie was still downtown. Kate's comforter was still at the dry cleaner's. Serena and I decided we liked each other but weren't officialy going out.

I had a dance commitee meeting after school as well.

The smell of his cologne reached me before he did. I looked up and noticed a fist set against a wall attached to an arm in a light blue long sleeve shirt button up shirt which was attached to a body standing several inches above me.

"Hey got a pen?" he asked.

"Yeah."

I dug out my purse and dug out a blue pen, handing it to the guy; "here."

"Thanks..." he racked his brain for my name.

He had dark hair.

"Ashley," I supplied.

"Ashley right that's right."

He wrote his name on each of the lists and handed me back the pen; "here ya go."

"Thank you."

I put it back in my purse.

"Uh huh."

"We've never met before," I informed him.

"Hm?"

"You'd forgotten my name, which, I'd never told you untill now."

"Oh. I'm Cory by the way."

"Oh."

"Sorry about that."

"What?"

"Rachel, I assume you 2 have met?"

He was referring to the brunette.

"Well, no, she didn't formally introduce herself but I figured out it was her from what Dianna told me."

"Right as they were both in Wicked."

"Yeah. Dianna's nice."

"Yeah. Who's the blonde?"

"The...?"

"Yeah, the other blonde."

"Oh, that's Serena. She's my sort-of girlfriend. We're not officially going out but we definately like each other."

"Yeah I can see why."

"Rachel doesn't seem very nice," I observed.

"Yeah she...she can be. She keeps her distance."

"Oh. Why?"

"She's very talented, as she probably told you. It might have something to do with her 2 dads."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, um they're gay."

"Oh."

"Don't tell her I told you this but when she was little people weren't very nice to her because of that."

"Oh."

"Hey do you want to sit with us at the lunch audition? Serena can come."

"Sure."

"Ok."

"Us?" I asked.

"Rachel, Dianna, myself, and Amber and Chris, who I'm sure you'll meet later."

"Yeah ok."

"It was nice meeting you Ashley. See you at lunch."

"Ok see you."

He left.

A hefty African American young woman with long straight hair came beside me, humming 'I Won't Say I'm In Love' from 'Hercules'. She reached up and wrote her name on the list.

"With who?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"The song...'I Won't Say...' ".

"Oh that. I'm not, actually."

"You got a great voice."

She smiled; "thank you! That's why I'm auditioning."

"I am too. As is Rachel...and Dianna...and Cory. I'm Ashley by the way."

"I'm Amber. Good luck competing against Rachel."

"Thanks. Yeah, since apparently she's always the lead."

"Yes. Yes she is."

"Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome."

"Oooh I'll sign up. I think I'll do something from Chicago," a slight guy my height with brown features said, coming up to us.

He was dressed very nicely, in a long sleeved button black shirt and black pants. On his feet were black shoes. He had dark hair and blue eyes.

He took the pen and signed his name on both the lines.

"That sounds good. I know you'll do great," Amber told the guy, smiling.

"Thank you."

He smiled then looked at me; "ooh I love your coat."

I was wearing a zigzagged, checkered black-and-white wool coat.

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome. Are you also auditioning?"

"Yes. I'm Ashley."

"I'm Chris. And this is..."

"Amber, yeah, I know. We've already met."

"Oh."

"Amber, we have class," Chris reminded her.

"Oh ok. Ashley we'll see you at lunch."

" was nice meeting you."

"You too," Chris called as they left.

Down the hall there was a commotion. I turned, looked and noticed a large tall football player with a black mohawk and Marie standing against the metal lockers. Another football player was talking to the first. Marie looked upset. After a few minutes the second football player left. The first turned to Marie. I walked towards them.

"You ok?" I heard the guy ask her.

"Yeah, just a bit upset," she replied.

She then noticed me. Her blue eyes widened.

"Ashley!" she said.

"Marie! What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I decided to come to school."

"Oh, so you're not whorin around anymore."

The football player looked at me, his small dark eyes wide.

"She's not a whore," he informed me.

"It's ok. She's my sister. And she..."

"...makes a living working downtown in the district," Marie finished.

"Oh ok."

A tall, thin guy who was dressed nicely, with curled light brown hair followed by a red haired woman my height walked by.

"Puck you goin to practice?" the guy asked.

"No I'm going to auditions," the football player replied.

"Ok, see ya then."

The couple left.

"Puck?" I asked.

"Well, actually I'm Noah. But everyone here knows me as Puck."

"Oh ok."

"And that, was Mr. Schuester. He's the Spanish teacher. The woman with him is Miss Pillsbury, she's the guidance counselor. They're engaged. She was going to marry the football coach but he stood her up."

"Oh ok. Is the baby Dianna's?"

"Baby?"

"I saw a...nevermind."

"Ok."

"I'm Ashley."

We went our seperate ways to class.

* * *

It was lunchtime. Serena, Rachel, Dianna, Cory, Amber, Chris, Puck, Marie and I were sitting in uncomfortable wooden seats in the schools auditorium, along with Mr. Shuester and Miss Pillsbury, and several others. Serena was sitting on one side of me, Marie on the other, then Puck and the others. Marie and Puck were talking, as were Amber and Chris, Cory and Rachel and Mr. Shuester and Miss Pillsbury. The auditorium wasn't very crowded; large with black wall sconces, a stage with a large long purple curtain, large black speakers on either side of the stage, white walls, stairs leading up to the stage and a white balcony above us. I was winding the pink ribbon of my pink toe shoes around my leg, since the paper said we had to both sing and dance.

Mr. Schuester stepped on to the middle of the stage.

"Hello everyone," he said; "thank you for joining us. For those who don't know, I'm Mr. Schuester, but you can call me Mr. Schue. I'm the Spanish teacher. That lovely lady over there," he indicated Miss Pillsbury; "is Miss Pillsbury, the guidance counselor and my fiance. Alrite let's get started. Rachel I believe you're up first."

Mr. Schue took his seat and Rachel stepped onstage.

"I hope she doesn't do 'Defying Gravity' again," Amber muttered to Chris.

"She always does 'Defying Gravity'," Dianna muttered back.

Rachel stepped onstage.

Next to me, Serena put her head on my shoulder and slipped her hand into mine.

"I'll be singing 'Don't Rain On My Parade, from 'Funny Girl'," Rachel announced.

"Ok whenever you're ready," Mr. Schue told her.

"She's such a diva," Dianna muttered.

"Yeah she can be. But she also can be nice," Cory said.

"You only say that cuz you're in love with her," Chris said.

Cory smiled.

"Ashley I didn't get a chance to tell you it was nice to meet you," Puck told me.

"Oh, that's ok."

"Well, it is."

"Thank you."

"Mmmhmm."

He put his arm around the back of Marie's chair.

"This is very '40's," Marie observed.

"Ever seen the movie?" I asked.

"No."

We listened to Rachel sing, her voice loud, controlled and mature.

"Wow," Serena said.

"I know. She's amazing."

"She sounds like Idina Menzel," Marie noted.

"And that's, why she was in 'Wicked'," Dianna told us, annoyed.

"Oh."

I noticed a pair of '40's heels on Rachel's feet.

"I love her shoes. I wonder if she's going to tap dance," I wondered.

A minute later Rachel did just that. After she was done we all clapped.

"Thank you," Rachel said, stepping down off the stage.

She resumed her place next to Cory.

"Babe you were amazing," he told her, his eyes wide, smiling.

"As always. And thanks."

They kissed, Cory putting his arm around the back of her chair. Rachel was all aglow.

Mr. schue looked back at us; "Dianna you're up, and then Amber."

Dianna stood up from her place and onto the stage.

"I'll be singing 'You Keep Me Hangin On', by the Supremes," she announced.

"Ok go right ahead," Mr. Schue said.

Dianna began singing, her voice low and strong.

"Wow," I said.

"Yeah I know," Serena said.

"For someone so quiet...she sure can sing," Amber noted.

"Yeah you should've seen her in 'Wicked'; she was so cute as Glinda," Rachel said.

"A compliment, from Rachel?" Chris asked.

"Am I not allowed to compliment people?"

"Well usually you're so, um," I searched.

Selfish and people who are don't regularly compliment.

"Oh I know."

"Honey you haven't really gotten a chance to know her," Serena reminded me.

"Oh. I think,"

"Hm?"

"We should start a babysitting club, like Mom had with her friends. We'll ask Pam for help tomorrow."

"Ok."

"'I'll help," Marie said.

"Ok."

Amber stood up and went to sit on the stairs aside the stage.

"I'm after her," Chris said.

"Have yall met Serena?" I asked everyone.

They introduced themselves.

"I love your shoes," I told Rachel.

"Thank you."

"How long have you 2 been together?"

"A year," Cory answered.

"Oh."

"All of us used to live in Ohio."

"Oh."

Dianna got off the stage. She and Amber hugged and Dianna came back to her seat.


	3. Amber

**Amber**

I signed up for glee club, again. I'd been in it back in Ohio, with Rachel, Tina, Puck, Cory, Dianna, Santana and Brittany. Cory had just signed his name on the sign up sheet.

I went to sign up, humming a Disney song. To my side was a pretty blonde young woman.

I signed up.

She introduced herself as Ashley, I introduced myself.

"Good luck competing against Rachel," I told her.

"Yeah since she's apparently always the lead," she said.

"She is."

She was the lead in Cabaret, Wicked, Funny Girl, Spring Awakening. Everyone knew how talented she was and how motivated.

Chris came and joined us, informing us he was singing something from Chicago. He complimented Ashley on her coat, they exchanged introductions.

We walked off to class.


	4. Hannah: Work

**5 p.m.**

**Hannah**

It was 5 p.m. I'd already been working at the store for an hour. The sun was starting to set. I was shelving some books in the fiction section when a pale woman dressed in black with blue eyes and long straight black hair going down her back approached me.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I'm looking for the adopting and parenting section," she told me.

"It's at the back of the store. See where the escalators are?"

She nodded; "yeah."

"Yeah it's right by there, by the children's section."

"Ok."

"My sister Alexa will be able to help you."

"Do you happen to know someone by the name of Fitzgerald?"

"Yeah...that's, my dad. Why?"

"Just wondering. Thanks for your help dear."

"You're welcome."

She walked off.


	5. WedAshley: Decorating, talking to Rachel

**Wednesday**

**Ashley**

It was lunchtime and I was at a meeting of the dance committee planning our annual fall fling which wed been planning ever since school started which was sept. 2. The dance was this Saturday the 21st. I wanted to have a before and after party bc I didn't really know anyone in the school even though id been going to it since last year. The meeting on the 1st had been an imropmtu one anyone who wanted to come could. We were halfway done planning the dance. We had the decorations and food we just needed to put the decorations up in the gym which was what we were doing now. Rachel and another girl tina were there among others. There were posters all over the school for the dance and the following one in October the Halloween dance. And for the glee club show which was the 28th a week from this Saturday. Following that was the school performance of cabaret. I knew that they were also performing at sectionals this year.

The ballet school I went to was performing Dracula around Halloween and the nutcracker this winter.

I wondered why Rachel had joined the dance committee. Id never said a word to her but decided now was the time.

I went over to her. She was hanging a leaf on a wall.

"yeah?" she asked when she felt me approach.

"um. I was just wondering why you joined the committee," I said.

"so I could become more popular since people don't like me."

"oh. You take the same ballet class I do. Youure really good."

"thank you."

"so I don't really know anyone here and want to. Though I havent asked jesse I was also wondering if youd want to come to a before and after party this satuday for the dance."

"yeah ok though ill have to ask my dads. Thank you for inviting me. You should come see cabaret. Im going to be in it. And im going to be the star. I might be the star of Dracula too."

"um ok. Your dads?"

"yeah I have 2 gay dads."

"oh."

"whos jesse?"

"my adoptive dad."

"oh."

"im Ashley btw."

"yeah I know."

"oh."

I went over to tina who was also hanging a leaf.

"yes?" she said quietly.

"hi I was wondering if you wanted to come to a before and after dance this Saturday at my place. Theyre for the dance."

"ok."

Wow that was easy.

"ok cool. Im Ashley btw."

She smiled: "tina nice to meet you."

"yeah you too."

Well she was nice.

I then went over to Hannah, lily, rose and alexa.

"hey so I want to have a before and after party at our place this Saturday for the dance if you do. Ive already invited Rachel and tina who I just met," I told my sisters.

"ok ill invite tom," alexa told me.

Tom was her 20 yr old boyfriend. Theyd been going out for a year.

"and ill invite lucy," rose said.

"lucy?" I asked.

"this girl I know from here. Shes nice. She has 6 siblings. I think evan knows one of them."

"oh ok cool."

"I do," Hannah said.

"as do I," lily said.

"ok cool. Ill talk to evan and jesse about it today."

"ok."

I pulled out my phone and texted evan.


	6. Kate: not well in class

**Kate**

It was Wednesday. I was in my last class before lunch, geometry. I was having trouble concentrating because I felt dizzy and nauesous. I didn't know that I'd be able to make it to lunch. I'd tuned out the meaning of x, and what our homework was.

"Kate," the teacher said.

I blinked; "huh?"

"Are you alrite?"

"Um..."

"Do you need to go home?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Ok. Excuse me."

We left the classroom and went down the hall and to the office on the first floor of the middle school, where I called my dad who'd come get me.


	7. Karen: Call From David

Karen

That night I got a call from my brother David.

"yeah?" I asked answering the phone.

"hey are you coming for thanksgiving?" he asked.

Thanksgiving. And it wasn't even Halloween yet. This shocked me.

"well hello to you too," I said.

"sorry hi what are your plans for thanksgiving?" he asked more politely.

"there we go that's better," I knew we were both smiling: "um I don't know yet why?"

"mom wants to do something. I just talked to her."

"and I wont be there if she is. Or if Andrew is. And I don't want to subject my children to Charlie. Um. Charlie's drinking."

"I know but you know much family means to her. And no one should be alone during the holidays."

"yeah it means so much to her that she hurt some of her own."

"I thought you were over that."

"I am! But again, my children. It just….im just scared. I know its less common w/ grandparents but it still happens."

"I know."

"who all does she want to have?"

"well me, Emily, Andrew, Charlie, Stacey, Sam and their kids. And yours if you'll come."

"oh. Cant we do both? We could have one here too w/ Emily, Stacey, Sam, and you. And their kids. And maybe Charlie."

"ok ill tell her."

"ok."

We hung up.


	8. Ashley: Family Meeting After School

Ashley

That day after school jesse and karen called evan, Hannah, alexa, rose, lily and I into jesses room. Karen and jesse had separate rooms. It was between 3 and 4 in the afternoon and I hadn't yet left for ballet. And Hannah and alexa hadn't yet left for work. Karen and jesse were all sitting on jesses bed the rest of us on the floor.

"so david called today," karen told us.

David was her brother. Well one of them.

We all looked at her expectantly.

"about thanksgiving. Our mom wants to get together w/ Andrew, Charlie, Emily, Stacey, sam, grace and us. Ive told david I don't want to be there if mom and Andrew are there and that we could have 2 thansgivings."

Andrew, Charlie, Emily, sam and grace were karens other siblings. She barely talked to her mom, Andrew or Charlie. Things still weren't good between them. Mom had a dark past that she rarely talked about. Evan, Hannah, alexa, rose, lily and I all knew this but I don't know if mandy, Louisa, kate and anna did.

"mom?" evan asked.

She turned to him: "yes?"

I flexed my feet back and forth. Id forgotten to put ben gay on my tendons after ballet this morning.

"ben gay?" lily asked noticing this.

I nodded.

"I have some you can use."

"ok."

We turned back to jesse, evan and karen.

"you havent told us why you and your mom don't talk. Or why you and Andrew don't. or you and Charlie," evan pointed out.

"um," karen looked toward the door making sure it was closed, "you see Charlie drinks. And Andrew hadn't been good to me. Kristy and I havent talked in ages and my parents were awful to me. However I get on w/ the rest. Youre not to tell the younger ones this. They shouldn't know untill theyre 16."

"oh. Wow. Ok. We wont."

"yeah I want to see aunt Emily. And aunt grace. And uncle sam," I said.

"and uncle david too," Hannah said.

"ok ill let them know," karen said.

"is Maureen coming?" jesse asked.

"whos Maureen?" alexa who hadn't spoken asked.

"your aunt staceys sister," jesse told her.

"oh."

"and I don't know," jesse told karen.

"ok ill invite her," karen said.

"oh my mom called. She wants to get together for thanksgiving too I told her itd be easier for her to come to us than for see her since theres more of us."

"ok and suzanne and kelly too."

"who are they?" rose asked.

"my moms sisters," jesse said.

"oh."

"yeah itll be good for her to get out," karen said.

"yeah I know," jesse said.

I knew that ever since her husband had passed 20 years ago jesses mom hadn't been the same.

"so looks like itll be Emily, grace, sam, david, Stacey maybe Maureen, maybe sara, suzanne and kelly here," karen said.

I presumed sara was jesses mom.

"yeah ok," he said: "um and mark wants to come."

"whos mark?" I asked.

"my friend from college."

"oh."

"yeah its ok if he comes. ok any other news?" karen asked us.

"yeah um we want to have 2 parties this weekend a before and after for the dance. We're inviting some friends from school. Toms coming. Im inviting some friends from work ruby and ariel. Um. If that's ok w/ you," I said.

"well that sounds like a good idea good way to get to know people. And ill invite bobbys kids too. What time is the dance?"

"at 7. So the party could be like…well well need time to get ready and all…..um that'll take about 2 hrs. I don't know how long the dance is going to be. So the party could start at 11. Um. Weve asked for the day off work and rose, lily and I don't have ballet that night or the following morning which means Sunday night and Monday well put in some extra time which means we wont be in school," I informed them.

"ok. If theres going to be alcohol here I want jesse and evan to be here. I might be here I might not im not sure yet."

"ok fair enough."


	9. Visiting Kate, Meeting Sierra

When Serena and I got to the hospital after cheerleading and ballet we went into a patient room Steph and a young woman Kate's age were in. Kate was my younger sister the one w/ cancer. Steph was a nurse our family knew. The girl, like Kate, was hooked up to an IV, lying in a hospital bed.

"Hi Mom," Serena said.

Steph looked at us: "hi honey. Hi Ashley."

Steph had seen me around the hospital so she knew who I was.

"Hi," I said.

"How is she?" Serena asked her mom.

"Really tired. She's lost weight."

"Mmm."

"How's Kate?" I asked.

"She has the flu. She's been sleeping a lot more. I gave her more naproxen before I came in here. Her pain level's a 6. The good thing is she hasn't been vomiting as much. Alice went home for the night."

Alice was another nurse our family knew.

"Oh."

Over the past year Kate had lost significant amounts of weight when she relapsed and then gained it back again. And then lost it.

"I'm Sierra," the woman in the bed told me.

"Hey. Ashley," I said.


	10. Kate

Eva Cassidy was a blues singer. She died in 1996. you'll need to know that for this chapter.

**Kate**

It was the next week. I was out of my coma and the hospital. I was back home. It was also early October which meant that Halloween was in a few weeks. I was finally old enough to take Anna out trick-or-treating this year. Dad and I were sewing the costumes, being that he was an artist. I was going as an alien and she was going as a crayon. The leaves and weather had changed. Then Thanksgiving and Christmas would come. Anna's 11th was December 31st. My 14th wasn't untill next summer.

It was nice not to be in the hospital. I hated my disease and what it had done to me. I'd lost 20 lbs because somehow my spleen had enlarged, causing me to feel full. I'd also been so sick I couldn't keep a thing down. These 2 factors meant I didn't eat as much. And every so often more bruises would appear.

My older sister Alexa's boyfriend Tom was the only one who knew what this was like. Hed had cancer and was now in remission.

It was afternoon. My mom was still at work. I was in my room, on my bed, listening to music. The music of Eva Cassidy, who'd died of cancer when she was 33.

I knew my parents were worried when I was in elementary school that I wouldn't finish. Now they were worried I wouldn't finish middle school. Dad's sister, who shared my name and birthday, had died of cancer when she was in high school.

Tom walked into the room my younger sister Anna and I shared and sat on the edge of my bed. He was tall, long, lean, slender and thin. And bald, which I knew Alexa found attractive.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I replied.

"How ya doin?" he asked.

"I'm so through with all of this. Even when I was in remission it always comes back. God I hate being sick. And when I'm _not_ sick I'm tired."

"I know how that is. I went through the same thing, as did my mom."

His mom had died of ovarian cancer.

"She hated it too. She hated it even more that she couldn't have any more children. She loved children."

"You really miss her," I observed.

"Yeah. I do. I do'nt usually talk about it, except with you or my girlfriend."

I shifted.

"You know, if it hadn't been for my disease you never would've met her," I said.

"Yeah that's what I pointed out to her, Kate. I don't think it really helped."

He glanced around the room.

"So. Eva Cassidy huh?" he asked.

"Yeah she...died of cancer..." I began.

"When she was 33. My mom loved her."

"I can relate to her, ya know?"

Tom nodded; "exactly."

"Got any plans for Halloween?" he asked.

"I'm taking Anna out. I'm finally old enough."

I smiled.

"Excited?" Tom asked.

"Oh yeah. You got any plans?"

"Yeah, Alexa and I are going to a Halloween party. We're thinking of going as a famous couple we're just not sure who."

"You could go as Frida and Diego."

"Who?"

"Frida,...Kahlo. Diego Rivera? The artists?"

Tom looked me, confused.

"He was the guy who painted all the lilies."

"Oh! Was she the chick with one eyebrow?"

I laughed; "yes Tom."

"Oh, she's cool. See, that's why I like you Kate. You're so creative."

"Thank you. Dad and I can help you with the costumes."

"Ok."

"Well art's a big part," I said.

"I remember those days."

"Wow. I'm suddenly really tired. Even though I was in a drug induced coma last week and you'd _think_ I wouldn't be. But I am. I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

Tom got up and leftthe room.

"Hey Dad!" I called.

He rushed into my room.

"What is it Kate? Are you ok? Do you need anything?" he asked.

I smiled; "yes Dad I'm _fine_."

"Oh. Ok."

"Tom and I were talking about Halloween plans. I gave him the idea of going as Frida and Diego for Halloween and I was thinking..."

-XXX-

I wandered into my dad's room that day. He was sitting at his desk drawing. He looked up when I came in.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Hey um I need to talk to you about our Halloween costumes," I said.

"Ok," he out his pencil down, "what do you have in mind?"

I came into the room and sat on his bed.

"Well. I want to go as an alien and Anna wants to be a crayon."

"Ok what color?"

"I don't know."

"Well for her costume she could wear construction paper for the body and a witch's hat which we'd cover in construction paper. And if it rains or snows she could carry an umbrella the same color as her costume."

"That sounds easy."

"And for you. You'd need those giant eyes."

"Or…or we could glue a whole bunch of googly eyes together in the shape of those giant eyes," I said.

"Yeah. That might actually be better. I don't know what we'd do for the costume though."

"Yeah me either," I said.


	11. Alexa: tom, frida, diego

**Alexa**

It was around 11 that night. Tom and I were at his place. His sisters were asleep. We were spread on the living room floor thumbing through books of Frida Kahlo paintings that my dad had let us borrow. He had a few other art books back at our house.

"Wow," I said: "all her paintings are really colorful."

"Yeah and sad."

"What about this one?" I pointed to a painting of Frida and Diego, a pink banner stretched over them.

She was wearing a dark green dress and a red wrap. Her hair was up and 2 necklaces adorned her neck.

"I think, that'd be great. We'll talk to your dad about it tomorrow."

"Ok."

We closed the books and put them on the black-rimmed coffee table which was in front of the sofa. I sat on the couch while Tom stood.

"Hey do you want some coffee or anything?" he asked.

"Yeah, coffee."

"Ok."

He went into the kitchen. His apartment was quiet. Opposite the couch was the tv. It was nice to be somewhere where, at any moment, somewhere would get sick and everyone else would have to go to the hospital. Which meant it wouldn't be.

I pulled out my phone and called Dad to let him know I was staying at Tom's for the night.

I reached forward and grabbed the black remote off the coffee table as Tom came back into the room. In the kitchen the coffeemaker was bubbling.

"Hey is it ok if I watch tv?" I asked as Tom settled in next to me.

"Yeah that's fine."

I flipped to That 70's Show.


	12. 1st Glee Club Meeting

**Wednesday, Sept. 11th**

Puck, Cory, Rachel, Dianna, Amber, Chris and myself were all in a classroom for our first glee club meeting. A small Asian young woman with long straight dark hair came in and sat next to Chris. She was wearing a dark purple long sleeve sweater and skirt and fishnets, as did a blonde cheerleader. The blonde cheerleader had blue eyes. She was in her cheerleading uniform. Puck was in jeans and a long sleeve button shirt.

We were all sitting on the bleachers. There was a piano near the middle of the room.

Mr. Schue came in and passed out sheet music then sat down in a blue plastic chair a few feet from the piano.

"Before we begin I'd like to tell you about your assignment," he said.

We looked at him expectently.

"Id like each of you, to choose a song or several songs representing your lives up to now. Youll be singing it herein a few weeks. Now lets get started."

We looked at the sheet music; 'You're The One I Want".

"Grease? Seriously?" Amber asked.

"Yeah it'll be super!" Rachel crie d perkily.

"Super? This isn't the 1950's honey," Chris reminded her, with a bit of attitude.

"Hey I'm the one with the attitude, not you," Amber reminded him.

"And _you're_ not a housewife," Rachel reminded Chris.

We laughed.

"Ok let's see...Ashely and..." Mr. Schue began.

"Me?" Serena asked eagerly.

"No, sorry. Homosexuality wasn't evident in the 1950's. How 'bout...Chris?"

"Oh but it's perfectly ok for a gay man to sing with a...?" Chris began.

"Bi," I supplied.

"Bi woman?"

"Sexuality has nothing to do with it. Everyone, at the piano please."

We stood up and gathered around the big shiny black piano.

"Ashley?" Cory asked.

I looked over at him; "yeah?"

"Grocery shopping after?"

"Yeah."

The fair pianist struck the first chords of the song and Christ began in his high soprano voice; "I've got chills, they're multi- I'm sorry."

The pianist stopped playing. Mr. Schue looked at Chris.

"Why?" he asked.

"I can't pretend to be straight when I'm not. I'm sorry Mr. Schue. Excuse me."

He left the room, Amber starting to go after him. Mr. Schue looked at her.

"No Amber," he told her.

She heaved a big sigh; "ok."

Mr. Schue looked at the Asian; "Tina?"

She nodded and left the room.

"Sorry about that guys," Mr. Schue said; "um, let's start again. Ashley and...Puck."

"Ok," I agreed.

The piano started again. Puck began in a low, controlled voice the first lines of the song. As we sang I noticed how good-looking he was. There was something about him that seemed broken, dark, somehow. Now that he was in glee club he also seemed softer.

As the group began to dance Serena put her arm around my slim waist.

"Youve not been at ballet as much," she noticed.

"Yeah, well. After you getting the lead...and I cant talk now honey I have to singand dance."

"Oh. I get it."

Her arm slid from my waist and she also left the room. Mr. Schue sighed. We resumed our singing.

After we were done we sat back down.

"Good job everyone, with the exception of Serena, Chris and Tina leaving, though I _told_ Tina to leave."

"Thank you," Rachel said from her spot next to Cory.

He had his arm around her.

"Why not me?" Amber asked.

"I'll need to see you after to explain."

"Ok."

"I have another announcement. The Friday before winter break we'll be having an open mic night, which will include poetry readings and singing."

Puck was sitting next to me, his hand resting on the bleacher behind me.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Is it ok if I put my arm around you? Cuz I know you're with Serena and..."

I sighed heavily; "yeah. I could use some comfort right now."

"Me too."

"You guys are free to go," Mr. Schue told us.

We stood up and left the room, Amber staying behind to talk. Rachel and Cory had their arms around each other, Puck had his around me. Dianna was walking with us.

"Hey, can I come?" he asked me.

"Grocery shopping?"

"Uh huh."

"Sure."

"Can I?" Dianna asked.

"Yeah."

We walked out to Puck's big black jeep. He opened the door of the passenger side for me. I got in and he went over to the driver's side. I set my stuff on the floor and buckled. Behind us Cory and Dianna got in the backseat.

"Sorry there's not much room and...that it smells like smoke," Puck apologised.

"That's ok. It actually reminds me a lot of my brother's."

"Oh. How old's your brother?"

"19, the oldest out of all of us."

He turned the key in the ignition and adjusted the rearview mirror.

"Oh. Where's the nearest grocery store?"

I told him. He started driving.

"Wow big family?"

"Yeah, and you?"

"Uh...no. Just me and my mom who has to work 2 jobs just to pay the bills. So she's not around much."

I got the feeling he was hiding something.

"Oh. What about your dad?"

"He...uh..." he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"No, I get it."

"Oh."

He rounded a corner.

"What about your family?" he asked.

"Oh. Well, about a year or so ago I came here. I was born in New Orleans, to an Irish mother who my daughter's named after. She died when I was young, my mother. My daughter's 3 and living up in the city with my best friend."

"Your, daughter?"

"Yeah, my dad..."

"Oh. Wow."

"Yeah."

"He and I moved to Brooklyn after my mom died."

"Oh. What was up with Serena?"

"She's got a lot going on at home and I think she took it out on me."

"Yeah I get that. Would you like to come over later?"

"Yeah ok."

We found a parking spot in the grocery store parking lot and parked, then got out and went into the store.


	13. Friday

**Friday, Sept. 13th**

**Ashley**

It was lunchtime. I was sitting against the school building, checking my texts. The rain fell in front of me from the archway overhanging. The day had grown cold and gray.

**'hey darling', **read a text from my best friend Lily.

Even just reading her text I teared up. We'd been best friends for years. She was originally from Ireland but had moved to California and then New York.

I sniffed and pushed the 1 on my keypad, dialing Lily's number. Rain fell from the building and tears fell from my eyes.

"Hi darling," she answered.

I sniffed some more. She waited.

"I...Lily, I..." I managed.

"You want me to come there?"

I nodded, realising she couldn't see me nod.

"Ok. I will soon as possible."

"Ok."

"You're not made of granite sweethart. It's ok to let your gaurd down sometimes," my best friend told me.

This, of course, only made me cry more.

"But I have to go now, as I'm at school. I'll talk to you later," she informed me.

"Oh ok. As am I."

"I love you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We hung up.

I put my phone beside me, not really caring that lunch hour was almost ending and that I'd have to be back in class soon. I was so tired. I'd recently lost the role of Mina's best friend in the ballet school's production of Dracula because I'd missed class so much.

I lied down on the steps, pulling my long black wool coat over me and went to sleep.


	14. Chapter 36

"Ashley?" a male voice asked.

"Huh?" I asked, blinking myself awake.

I started to sit up, pained from sleeping on the stone steps.

"Ouch," I said, sitting.

"You must be freezing," the guy said.

I turned and realised it was Evan.

"Yeah, I am," I told him.

"Wanna go to my car?" he asked, helping me stand.

"Ok."

We stood. He took off the long wool overcoat our dad had given him and wrapped it around my shoulders, on top of my own.

"What happened?" he asked, opening an umbrella as we walked.

"I fell asleep. And what a fall it was."

We laughed.

"Yeah, I know that. You were asleep when I found you."

"What time is it?" I asked

"3."

"Damn."

"Yeah, the sun'll be down in an hour. My car's warm."

"Howd you know I'd be here?"

"Well Ashley, 1, school was still in session during the middle of the day..."

"Oh, that's right."

"And 2. You know me."

"Right."

Evan was very perceptive and often knew when 1 of us wasn't ok.

"You could use sleep," he told me.

"The both of us could."

"Yeah, well."

"Evan. You're not made of granite," I told him, repeating the exact words Lily'd told me earlier.

"Neither are you hun. Neither are you."

"That's what Lily told me."

"Oh," Evan said, getting it.

I suddenly felt warmer, and not just because of the coats.

"Wow," I whispered, surprised even though this was what Evan did.

'this' being suddenly giving off body heat whenever someone was cold.

"Yeah that was me," Evan answered me.

"Yeah. I know."

"How's Angela?" he asked, referring to my 3 year old daughter who was staying with Lily.

"Idinno, I didn't get a chance to ask."

"Oh. She comin here? Lily, I mean."

"Yeah. Soon as she can."

"Ok. I'd love to see her again. She's a lot like Rebecca."

"Yeah, she is."

"And how're Rena, Scarlet and Miranda?" Evan asked me, referring to my 3 friends who were in New York.

"Dinno."

"Oh."

"How's everyone?" I asked.

Evan turned and looked at me. By this time, we were across the school lawn.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Hows'...?" I repeated, stepping off the curb and into the street.

"Ashley," Evan said, his voice low.

We crossed the street.

"I'm...um, I'm..."

"Not made of granite?"

"Yes. Exactly. I'm still knackered."

Knackered being exhautsed, a word I'd picked up from Lily.

"Mmm."

He handed me the carton of ciggerettes and his zippo.

"Thanks," I said.

"Mmhm. I got a bottle of raspberry vodka in the car."

"How'd...?" I asked, looking at him.

"It's just been one of those days. for me too."

"Oh. Right. You're good at that."

"Yes Yes I am."

We crossed the lawn of the park to his car. He opened the door for me and went over to the driver's side, opening the door for himself.

We got inside; he closed the doors, locked them and turned on the heater, which roared to life.

He reached down and picked up the bottle of raspberry vodka from the car floor with one hand while filling the car with the music of Billie Holiday with the other.

"Omygod," I said, leaning back against the seat.

Evan sat up, unscrewing the bottle. He held out his hand and I handed him his zippo, which he took. I blew out my ciggerette. He poured the vodka into the 2 plastic cups that were in the cupholders, then put the cap back on the bottle and put the bottle back on the floor. He handed a cup to me with one hand while he lit the dragonsblood incense stick with the other, flicking the lighter.

I lifted the cup to my lips and took a sip. Raspberry vodka is the equivelant to liquifying a raspberry and mixing it with alcohol.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened to Billie Holiday sing about her own personal pain.


	15. Thursday: Ashley

**4 p.m.**

It was 4 p.m. and we were in the choir room. Everyone was sitting on the bleachers. Dianna, Puck and another tall, large football player were talking. Tina was talking with another Asian, a guy. Rachel, Cory, Amber and Chris were also talking, as were Brittany and Santana. Sitting next to me was another football player. We had 8 girls and 5 guys; we needed another 3 guys.

Into the room walked Mandy, and sat next to me, on the other side. She looked a bit out of it. As usual, she was dressed well. She was wearing a purple sweater, black pants and black leather boots. On her ears were pearl earrings.

"Hey what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Evan brought me. I wanted to see what this was all about."

"Shouldn't you be in the...?"

"Hospital?"

I nodded; "yeah."

"He got me signed out."

"Oh."

She leaned forward, and smiled at the football player; "hi."

He immediatly smiled; "hey, great smile. Do you model? You're gorgeous."

"Thank you. And no, I don't. I'm Mandy."

"You're welcome. Adam."

He had dark hair that curled at the neck and green eyes.

Mandy looked at me; "Ashley would you mind...?"

"Moving?"

She nodded; "yeah."

I stood up and she slid next to Adam.

I joined Rachel, Cory, Chris and Amber.

"Oh, I brought scarves," Chris said, pulling them out of his messenger bag.

They were bright pink.

"Ok great. We'll need black jeans and black jackets for the guys," Amber said.

"And um..."

I pantomimed spraying my hair with hairspray, then pushed my fingers into it to make it higher.

"Hairspray?" Rachel supplied.

"Yeah, that. For the guys."

"Well maybe not Puck."

We laughed.

"I'm sure my mom has some stored in the attic," Cory said; "jackets, that is."

"Ok."

"That your sister?" Amber asked, looking at Mandy and Adam talking.

I nodded; "yeah, that's Amanda. Or, Mandy.'

"She's pretty, and she seems to like Adam."

"Thanks."

"She's a little thin though," Chris commented.

"She has, an eating disorder," I explained.

"Oh I'm sorry...I didn't know."

"It's ok. Like you said."

Mandy and Adam approached us. I looked up at them.

"Adam's going to show me where the microwave is, so I can have some of the pasta he brought," she told me.

She held up a small, green container of Healthy Choice pasta.

"Ok," I said.

She, Rachel, Amber, Chris and Cory exchanged introductions, then Mandy and Adam left.

"What about me?" Puck asked, turning around.

"Oh, we were just talking about hairstyles for you guys, for the Grease number, and we said you probably won't need hairspray," Rachel said.

"Oh. What's the hairstyle?"

"An Elvis...thing."

"Bouffant," Chris supplied.

Puck went back to talking with Dianna and the football player.

"This is my brother Mike," Tina told us.

We exchanged introductions.

"Ok Ashley we need to work on your choreography while we wait for Schue. Well, yours and Puck's," Rachel told me.

"Where is he?" Amber asked.

"Not sure."

Rachel, Puck and I stood and went to the piano.

"I was thinking, that you could start with this," Rachel told Puck, who looked at her.

She pointed to herself, then spread her fingers to make jazz hands, palms out. She wiggled her hands down her body, then moved her shoulders up and down.

"Ok," Puck said, watching her.

He tried it.

"Hm..." Rachel said thoughtfully, putting one hand on her hip and another on her bottom lip.

"Yeah?"

"It needs work."

"Yeah I couldn't quite the dance part down."

"Well it's only your first time trying it," I said.

"Here, try this," Rachel offered.

She went through the hand motions, then popped her right shoulder forward. Puck followed. They turned their heads slightly to the right, then to the left, putting the other shoulder in front.

"Good," she said.

He looked at her, waited.

"Ok now try this," she said.

She lowered her head, pointing again at herself then out, then spread her fingers and moved her arms down her body. Puck followed.

"What am I to do?" I asked.

Rachel looked at me; "hold on."

"Ok."

She turned back to Puck; "you practice that while I work with Ashley."

He nodded; "ok."

Rachel turned back to me.

"You're going to be in heels for this."

I nodded; "right, of course. As to be expected."

"Watch me."

Again, I nodded.

She pointed her finger outward, stepping towards me 3 times. She stopped with her right foot in front of her left. She bent her right arm in front of her, her thumb and pointer finger making the 'Ok' sign. Then bent her wrist and her knees. She touched her right knee to the back of her left leg, sinking. She moved her right arm in front of her chest and turned her head to the right.

Then, she bent forward, turned her head and put her left hand on her left thigh, her right hand on top of it. She slid them up, unbending, turning her head to the right. She moved her right finger back and forth. She repeated the steps.

"You try," she told me, when she was done.

I did, with her observing.

"Good."

"What do I do next?" I asked

"Repeat."

"Oh. Ok."

"Try it a couple of times, then rehearse with Puck while I tell the others their choreography."

I did.

"Dianna, Tina, Amber, Brittany and Santana," Rachel said.

They stood up. I joined Puck, and we practiced.

The girls moved to the other side of the piano.

"Ok while they're doing that you'll be doing this..." Rachel told them.

While we rehearsed, out of our peripherals Puck and I watched them rehearse.

They moved from side to side, moving their pointer fingers to either side as they did so. They then did the box step.

"Dianna, you're a little behind," Rachel told her; "try again."

They tried again.

"Tina you're a bit off with the timing," Rachel observed.

They tried again.

"Ok, good. Mike, Cory, Chris and...you," she said to the football player on the bleachers.

"Brian," he supplied.

"Brian, right. This is where you come in."

She looked at Puck and I; "you guys can stop."

We nodded; "ok."

"Pair up," Rachel told them.

Tina and Mike, Amber and Chris, Dianna and Brian, Rachel and Cory and Puck and myself were the pairs. Cory and Rachel moved to the middle of the room.

"You guys can sit back down," Rachel told Brittany and Santana.

"Ok."

They sat back down on the bleachers.

In front of us, Rachel and Cory held hands. He spun her; she ended with her legs bent, her right one behind the left. He put one hand on her back while he dipped her, her outer leg kicking up. They did it again, and they each twirled out, to Dianna and Mike. They did the same with Dianna and Mike.

They walked back to each other, meeting.

"Ok now I want everyone to try it," Rachel told us; "then we'll line up. After, we continue the steps, leaving Ashley and Puck in the center, who will continue what they did in the beginning of the song."

We tried it a couple of times, then lined up opposite each other.

Rachel looked at us; "ok, good. Now watch us. Chris, Amber, over here."

Chris and Amber put their arms raised their arms above their heads. Rachel and Cory danced through their arms, then stood and raised them, locking their hands.

"Ok, everyone try it, then we'll do the whole thing a couple of times," Rachel told us.

We did, and sat back down.

"Good job," she told us.

It was 4:30 by that time.

"Schue's still not here," Amber said.

"Yeah this isn't like him," Chris said.

"No it's not," Rachel said.

At that moment Mandy and Adam walked in, holding hands. They sat down next tome.

"Hey," I greeted Mandy.

"Hey."

"How was the pasta?"

"Good, Adam's really nice. How's rehearsal? Anything new?"

"Well, we learned the dance steps. We're doing 'You're The One I Want', from Grease."

"Oh, cool."

"I'll show you the dance steps," Rachel told Mandy and Adam, looking at them.

"Ok."

They got up, practicing for about 10 minutes.

"Good," Rachel said.

They sat down.

"I'll talk to some of the guys, and ask them if they're interested, since we need 2 more guys," Puck told Rachel.

"Ok great."

It was 4:40 when Mr. Schue walked in, sitting in a blue plastic chair in the middle of the room.

"Hey guys sorry I'm late, I had car trouble."

"It's ok Mr. Schue we were working on choreography," Rachel told him, looking at him.

"Good I'd like to see it. But first, I have a few announcements."

We waited.

"First, since I'm late we'll end at 5:40, instead of 5. Secondly, we'll be performing the Grease number at the pep rally next Friday."

"Wow that's close," I said.

Today was Wednesday.

Mr. Schue looked at me; "I know Ashley but I think you guys can do."

"The cheerleaders are also performing," Brittany told him.

He looked at her; "ok, I'll talk to Sylvester about the scheduling. There will be an all day rehearsal this weekend, both days. So don't make plans. Bring the costuming."

"We're going shopping at some great vintage shops downtown after this," Chris said.

"Ok, great."

"I brought scarves."

Chris held them up.

"Very nice Chris," Mr. Schue told him.

"l'll look in our attic for black leather jackets. I think we have some," Cory said.

"Ok, good. Secondly, we're also performing 2 numbers at the Halloween dance. One from Cats and one from Wicked. I'm counting on Rachel and Dianna to help us with those."

"We will," Dianna said.

"We're also performing something near the start of winter break, but I'm not sure what yet. For those of you who don't know, over break we're going to New York over winter break."

"Are we staying in a hotel?" Tina asked.

"Yeah, we are. I'll need to talk to Ashley and Rachel about that, after."

"Ok," I said.

"I'll help too," Puck said.

"I don't understand," Mr. Schue told him.

"I'm originally from the city."

"Oh ok. The Monday after the pep rally we're going to be rehearsing for both the Halloween dance and the play."

"What's the play?" Mike asked.

"I still haven't decided."

"Ok."

"And the Friday before break we're having an open mic night, which includes singing and poetry reading."

"We need 2 more guys," Puck said.

"That was what I was getting to."

"I'll ask some of the guys, and see if they're interested."

"Ok great. We have 3 new members who haven't officially auditioned."

Mandy, Adam and Brian smiled.

"They'll audition and then I'd like to see what you've put together Rachel," Mr. Schue told her.

"Ok."

Mandy stood up and went to the piano. Mr. Schue pushed the chair he was sitting in to the side of the room and sat on the piano bench.

* * *

It was 5:40. Mr. Schue, Rachel, Puck and myself were the only ones left in the choir room. The rest of the group was waiting for us downstairs, outside in the parking lot. We were sitting in uncomfortable dark blue plastic chair.

"Great job today guys," he told us.

"Thanks," I said.

"You're a good chorographer Rachel," he told her.

She smiled.

"I think Amanda, Adam and Brian will be great additions to the club. I'm a little worried about Amanda dancing though."

"Yeah we all are," I told him.

"So, I've been to New York but it's been years. Where is there to stay?"

"Well there's a hotel by Central Park," Puck said.

"Ok I'll book rooms. We could see some shows. What about the Rockettes?"

"I don't want to see them," Rachel aid.

"Ok...what suggestions do you have?"

"The Nutcracker."

"Ok, and how about Billy Elliot?"

"That sounds good. And...Jersey Boys."

"Cool," Puck said.

"And we could go ice-skating," I said.

"Ok. We'll have a bake sale to help pay for it."

"Ok. When?"

"Every day at lunch untill then, starting tomorrow."

"We could also sell ornaments."

"I'll talk to the art teacher about that."

"And those eggs?" Rachel said.

"Ukranian," Mr. Schue told her.

"Yeah, those seem festive."

"They're really hard to make though. I'll ask my grandmother how," Puck said.

Rachel looked confused.

"You know, cause I'm Jewish...which means my family's from Russia...which is..."

By the Ukraine.

"Oh, ok. Right."

"You're free to go," Mr. Schue told us.

* * *

It was 6:30. we were in one of the vintage shops downtown.

Chris put on a black, 1920's cloche.

"What do you think of this?" he asked.

Amber looked at him and smiled; "oh you can so rock that look Chris."

"Really?"

"Yeah it looks great," I said.

Mandy stepped out of a dressing room wearing a long, white flapper dress and pearls. The dress made her appear thinner than she was.

"Omygod," I gasped.

"You look amazing," Adam told her.

She smiled.

"We should do a '20's themed performance, maybe in the spring," Cory said.

"...that Vanderbilt, might admire..." Rachel sang.

I looked at her, pulling the brim of a purple '40's hat over one eyebrow; "that's, Chicago."

"We could do music from that, and from DeLovely," Dianna said.

"DeLovely's an elegant film."

"Yes. Yes it is."

"You guys know how to Charleston?" Brian asked.

"No."

"You'll learn."

"Very Sinatra," Lily commented, about my hat.

I smiled.

"I found the poodle skirts," Tina said, from a round metal rack of them.

We walked over and checked the prices. They ranged from $24.50 to $60.

"It seems like a lot...let's see that's...$196, almost $200," Mike said.

I looked at him.

"Sorry I'm just really good with numbers."

"Oh."

Rachel walked out of the dressing room in a slick, short '60's dress with wide straps; it had big black and green squares on it.

"We should do a '60's one!" Lily said.

"Yeah, we will."

Chris walked over in a pair of purple platforms.

"Whoa," he said.

* * *

It was 7 when we got to the living room Dad, Evan, Rebecca, Alexa, Tom, Hannah, Rose, Louisa, Serena and Pam were sitting on the sofas. There was a big cardboard box on the coffee table in front of them and several more on the carpet.

"Hey," I said.

"What's all this?" Mandy asked.

"Hey," Dad said.

"Halloween decorations," Evan answered.

"We're putting them up now?" I asked.

"Yeah. You don't mind do you?" Rebecca said.

"No, no. Just let us put our stuff up in my room."

"Ok. We ordered pizza for dinner," Alexa informed me.

"Ok sounds good."

"I love pizza," Amber said as we climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"Babe?" Puck said.

"Yeah?" I returned.

"After this I'm going to Rachel's to bake, so I can't stay long."

"Ok."

Rachel, like myself, lived in a large house.

"I already know the schedule," Rachel said, as we reached my room.

"Of?" I asked, opening the door.

"For the club."

"Oh."

We went into my room and set the hopping bags on the floor. This meant mr. schue had already told her.

"We're doing a Valentine's Day show and one for St. Patrick's Day," Rachel said.

"Oh."

"We should do a cabaret themed one...you know, you, Lily, Serena, maybe Amanda," Puck said.

"I could be in it as well," Tina said.

Puck looked at her; "you, can cabaret dance?"

"Clearly, you don't know me," she returned.

"We're also doing a gay pride one," Chris said.

"It involves rainbows," Cory said.

We went down the stairs and into the living room, where everyone exchanged introductions.

We crouched down on the floor by the boxes. We pulled out orange and black garlands, cauldrons, skeletons, cat figurines, fake spiders, fake lilies, fake roses, witch's hats.

"Lilies?" Puck asked, looking at me.

"They're the death flower," Lily answered.

He turned to her; "oh?"

"Yeah. During the 1930's for funerals, they couldn't afford roses."

"Oh."

"Evan, Rachel, Puck, Serena, Rose and I'll do the attic," I volunteered.

"Ok." Dad replied.

"Alexa, Tom, Eric, Louisa, Serena and I'll do the bedrooms," Rebecca said.

"Sounds good."

"Adam, Amber, Cory, Chris, Dianna and I'll do this floor," Mandy said.

"Alrite."

"Mike, Tina, Brittany, Santana, Lily and I'll do the outside," Brian said.

"Ok. Just take a box or 2 and start," Pam told us.

"Ok."

Evan and Puck took 2 boxes each and them, myself, Rachel, Serena and Rose climbed the 2 flights of stairs to the attic.

When we got to the top floor of the house Evan and Puck set the boxes on the floor.

"We'll go get some more," Evan said.

"Ok," I said.

They went down the stairs behind us.

"Wow," Rachel said.

"It's so big," Serena said.

"I know. I've been up here before but yeah, it's still big. Dad's hardly ever up here, so," Rose said.

"I've actually never been up here," I aid.

"So where's the attic?" Rachel asked.

"Well, right in front of us, I...think."

"Yeah you're right Ashley it's right in front of us," Rose told me.

"Ok."

A few yards in front of us at the end of the dark wooded hall were 2 giant wooden doors with large metal handles. The doors met in the middle and stretched to the walls. Along the walls and down the hall were several door.

"That's, your attic?" Serena asked.

"Yeah apparently so."

"Omygod that's huge!"

"Yeah I know."

"Why are there so many doors?" Rachel asked.

"Bedrooms, probably," Rose answered.

"Wow. An entire family could live here and you'd never know."

"Yeah it's a bit creepy."

"It's also warm. And stuffy. And dusty. And...well, don't take off your shoes cuz you might get a nail or a splinter," Serena observed.

I noticed carvings in 3 of the doors and went over to them.

'DO NOT ENTER' one said, 'KEEP OUT' another read, 'MY ROOM' the 3rd one said.

"Why would anyone carve in the doors?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know. But I have a feeling...that whoever carved these isn't the owner of these rooms".

I placed my right hand over the first one, and immediatly got an image; a man pushed a dark haired girl into the room, locked the door it and put the key in his pocket.

"Noooooo!" her screams echoed.

I stepped back from the door.

"Oh. my god," I said.

"You ok?" Rose asked.

"I...something happened in this room. Something dark. Whatever you do don't go in there," I warned them.

I went to the next door, and traced the lettering. Again, I got an image.

"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. There are lilacs in there Lily and I know how much you like them. Emerald's already been examined," the tall thin old man in the white lab coat said, holding the door open for the brunette.

I stepped back and went back to the group.

"Lily..." I whispered.

"Hm?" Serena asked, looking at me.

The next image that flashed through my mind was of the brunette, her curly black hair now dyed red.

"Honey?" Serena asked.

I shook my head to clear it; "nothing."

"Ok."

"Do you think we should go in the other rooms?" Rachel asked.

"No, not...not right now."

"Usually nothing fazes you. You sure you're alrite?" Rose asked.

I looked at her. Her green eyes were wide.

"I'll tell you about it later," I told her.

"Ok."

It was also quite dark.

"There a light up here?" Serena asked.

Don't turn on the light, I heard a voice say.

"No. But I have one," I replied

I pulled my Zippo out and flicked it open, lighting the flame.

"Don't smoke up here, it's made entirely of wood," Serena said.

"This is for light sweethart," I told her.

"Oh."

In the dark I saw a glint of a reflection and realised there were mirrors placed in between the doors.

"Why are there so many mirrors?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know., Rose answered.

"Oh."

Alongside one wall below a mirror I noticed a wood end table on which was a wrought iron candlebra with black candles stuck in it.

"Black, candles?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. We shouldn't light them."

"Ok."

Rachel crouched on the floor in front of the boxes.

"Guess we should open the boxes," she said, taking the lids off the top ones and setting them aside.

She stood up. Serena moved closer to me and wound her arm around my waist.

In front of us, the candles flickered on.

"Whoa," Rachel said.

"Yeah I saw that too," Rose said.

Behind us we heard footsteps. We stepped to the side to let Puck and Evan up. They put the boxes all the boxes on the floor and opened them.

"Did you...?" Evan asked, looking at me and then the candles.

"No, none of us did."

"Oh."

"That the attic?" Puck asked, indicating the large doors.

I nodded; "yeah."

"Alrite."

They went and opened the heavy doors.

"There ya go," Evan said.

"Thanks," I said.

We each got a box and went into the giant room. There were round windows on 3 sides, and what I could only presume were large paintings leaning against the walls. There were black trunks, wire dress forms, round hat boxes, wood night stands and rectangular cardboard boxes. Some of the dress forms were empty and some had clothes, jewelry and scarves on them.

"Wow," Serena said.

Someone flicked a switch and the room was flooded with light.

"Guess they decided to install modern lighting up here," Rachel said.

"They?" Rose asked.

"Whoever lived here before you did."

"Oh."

"So where do we start?" Puck asked.

"Um, try and tape the garlands to the ceiling," I told them.

"Ok."

They dug the garlands out of the boxes and started.

Serena, Rose, Rachel and I taped the skeletons and paper ghosts to the walls and windows. Within a few minutes we were done.

We left the boxes in the room and headed downstairs into the living room. It was 7:40 by that time.


	16. Chapter 13

When we got to the living room members of the glee club exchanged introductions w/ my family. Then we all went into the kitchen for the pizza. It got pretty crowded in there w/ all the people. Then we went back into the living room and sat and ate.

Mandy of course wasn't eating.

"youre not eating?" amber asked looking at her.

Well obviously.

"no," mandy said quietly.

"oh. You looked beautiful in that dress," amber told her referring to earlier.

"thank you."

"so what are you going to be chris? Some kindof Sinatra bowie mix?" lily asked also referring to earlier.

"maybe."

"and that's why the lady. Is a grinning soul."

Chris smiled.

"wow Halloween."

"I love Halloween," I said.

"I know me too," lily said.

"youre from new Orleans right?" puck asked me.

"yeah."

"so im not surprised."

"the gay pride show would involve rainbows," cory said.

"yeah," chris said.


	17. Chapter 38

It was much later that night. Puck and I were sitting in the cold dark living room of his trailer, on the couch.

"Wow it's dark. And cold," I observed.

"Yeah we can't afford light. Or heating...actually."

"Oh."

Even our place in Brooklyn always had lighting.

"I could probably help with that," I said.

"Ashley I really don't-"

He assumed I meant sex.

"Neither do I. I _meant_ pay the bills. Marie and I are already helping pay Kate's hospital bills, so it wouldn't be much more."

"I thought she was trying to quit prostitution."

"Yeah she is. But I haven't stopped working."

"What do you do?"

"Um I, also, work 2 jobs."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Well 3, actually."

"Wow."

"I work on the weekends at the same bookstore my sister Hannah works at, as a waitress and...um...as a stripper. I was also a stripper in Brooklyn, and a model."

"Mmm I can see why."

"But I had to quit modeling after the bruises started showing. When I strip it doesn't matter so much."

"Bruises?"

"Yeah, from my dad?"

"Oh. Right. I have those too."

"Wow."

We were more alike than I thought.

"Well they've faded."

"Yeah so've mine," I said.

"But your cuts haven't."

"He didnt..."

"Yeah I know. My sister she...I know."

cut too deep and died that way, the words ran through my mind.

He pulled me against him. I noticed how thin he was.

"Wow."

"Yeah I don't get much to eat," he explained.

I started to sit up; "you want me to make you something?"

"Electricity's out."

"Oh. Well we could go back to my place and I could make you something there."

"Ashley, you really don't have to."

"Puck."

"Mm?"

"It's not always a matter of having to. Maybe...I want to."

He said nothing after that.

"When's your mom due home?" I asked.

"Only time will tell. It could be a few minutes from now or a few hours."

"Is it always like that?"

He swallowed; "yeah."

"Who's Kate and why's she in the hospital?"

"She's my second youngest sister and she has leukemia. So does Anna, who's the youngest...Mandy has an eating disorder..."

"Wow. What do your parents do?"

"My dad's - er well, my adoptive dad - "

"Mm, right."

"He's an artist, and before the car accident my adoptive mom was a psychologist."

"Oh. They married?"

"No. Mom likes Pam, her friend from school. A lot. They're in love. I'm the second oldest after Evan, my brother."

"Oh. And Hannah?"

"She's after Alexa who's after me. Alexa's with Tom who also had leukemia who...is the older brother of Jake who's dating Kate and...their aunt is going out with our dad.'

"Wow."

"Yeah I know. It may be big but it's safe, with the exception of what happened to Mom and Dad and Marie."

"Right, Marie kinda told me about that. Some guy was buggin her this morning, so I talked to him. She seems so sweet. innocent. charming...vulnerable."

I sighed in his arms; "yeah, her charm was how she got them. And as for the rest she is all those as well."

"She's beautiful."

"Yeah she is."

Behind me, Puck shifted.

"So Grease, huh?" he asked.

I nodded: "yeah."

"Its kindof fitting."

"For us?"

"Well, me, anyway."

"Yeah I can see that. You're Travolta all the way honey," I told him sarcastically.

"Yeah, well. I'm not much of a dancer though."

"Yes you are you're a great dancer."

"Football players aren't supposed to dance."

"Y'know...some football players actually _take_ dance to help them with their footing. It's nothing to be embarassed about."

"This, coming from a stripper."

"Hey man...once you strip - well, ok, maybe not _you_-"

he laughed.

"You learn not to care so much."

"I bet you're great at it."

"Yeah yeah I am. So's Lily. She's my best friend. She lives up in the city, taking care of my daughter. Lily's originally from Ireland."

He snuggled me against him.

"It's been a long day," he said, and we both fell asleep.


	18. Friday w Puck

**Friday, Sept. 13th**

It was hours later when we woke up to the sound of the trailer door opening.

"What time is it?" Puck asked.

"1."

"In the morning?"

"Yes."

He shifted and I moved to the opposite end of the couch.

"Noah?" a woman called from the back end of the trailer which wasn't very far.

"Living room," he called back.

A short, full figured woman smelling of smoke and alcohol entered the room.

"Damn the 'lectricity still out?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Puck and I stood.

"Mom, this is my friend..." he began.

"Damn I'm hungry. We got any food?"

"We do, but as I just told you, the electricity's still out which means...we can't cook anything."

"Oh."

"Anyway, as I was saying...this is my friend Ashley."

I looked at the woman's form in the dark.

"From, school. And glee club."

"You're in glee club?"

"Yeah, just like I was last year," Puck sounded annoyed.

"It's nice to meet you doll," his mom told me.

"And you too, Miss..."

"Norah call me Norah."

"Norah. Like Norah Jones. So what do you do?" I asked politely.

"I'm a waitress, a bartender and a receptionist. I'm also, shattered."

I looked at Puck; "shattered?"

"Exhausted."

"Oh."

"Well Mom we're gonna get going."

"Ok."

We went out into the cold dark morning and climbed into Puck's waiting jeep.

"So where to?" he asked.

"Oh I don't care."

"Ok to the park then."

He turned the key in the ignition and sped off.

"So your mom she's...wow."

"Its ok you can say it. I know she can be a bit rude. She's always tired."

"Um, jus so ya know."

"Yeah?"

"I got ballet in a few hours."

"Ok."


	19. Park

**9 a.m.**

It was the next day, 9 a.m. Puck and I were in the park, I was wrapped in my 2 coats; his arms were wrapped around me. I'd already turned in the math, science and history homework. We were by trees; the day was cold and cloudy.

"How'd you sleep? I asked.

"Better, than usual. You?"

"I only slept for like, an hour."

"Wow."

"Yeah so I'm knackered."

"Yeah you seem tired."

"You're very helpful."

Sarcasm.

"It's nice to have the people."

Around.

"Well, yeah. When Kate's in the hospital it is. But its also weird. I guess I'm so used to people getting sick at random times, that..."

"Yeah I know how that is. My own sister died of that."

"You know, you don't talk much about you."

"I just...guys are supposed to be strong, ya know?"

"Yeah, but some girls like sensitive guys."

"Like you?"

"Oh, me...Serena...Lily."

"She's beautiful. She taken?"

"She's not currently looking."

"Oh. What's going on between you and Serena?"

I shifted; "not much, actually. She thinks I like you...more than I like her. I've done the girl thing."

"Well?"

"Well?"

"Do you? And who with?"

"More than you, no. And Lily."

" I mean I can see that."

"Yeah. But...it's nice to be somewhere where the whole world's not revolving around Kate."

"Mm, right."

"I love her I do, trust me. And Mandy...and Anna..."

"Right."

"It's just. Well."

"No one gets much attention but them?"

"Yeah. I know Kate feels bad about that."

"It's not her fault she has cancer."

"Yeah. I know. It scares me though. It scares all of us. Her...Amanda...scares me, Evan. Dad."

"I know. You're not made of granite babe."

"And with you, I don't have to be. Or Evan. Or Lily."

"I don't have to be with you either."

"She's a bit jealous."

"Who?" he asked.

"Serena.

"Oh."

He lied on the ground, taking me with him.

"Ashley there's a bunch of stuff I've kept buried."

I blinked, looking up at the clouds. It was warm and roomy inside the coats.

I waited. I knew sometimes it was easier for guys to talk when they didn't have to make eye contact.

"My own mom went through that, at the same time Aileen - my sister-"

I nodded; "mmhm."

"Aileen did. 'That' being leukemia. Aileen, however, died from it."

"Wow," I whispered.

"Yeah. My mom smokes, drinks. My family's not perfect Ashley."

"Why's she so, um?"

"Rude? Distant?"

I nodded; "yeah."

"She thinks that's a good tactic for not letting anyone get close to her. All the anger she's ever had she..."

his voice cracked. I reached for his hand and squeezed it.

Takes it out on you?, I thought.

"Yeah. shit I'm sorry."

"No hun don't apologise. It's ok. You got cold hands."

I took one of Puck's big hands in mine.

"Yours are warm," he told me.

Well I can afford heating, I thought.

"From stripping," he stated.

"Hm?"

"You can afford heating because you strip."

I breathed.

"You don't have to...you know."

Help with the bills.

"It's not just the heating though. It's Kate's hospital bills and...and you."

He got up, letting my head hit the ground.

"Ow," I whispered.

Standing above me he suddenly seemed very tall, even a bit intimidating.

"Ashley, I don't want you to help."

"Puck, I offered to. You're not oblig-"

"No, ok?"

"But-"

"No."

He left.


	20. Chapter 41

Ashley?" I heard a voice call.

I turned my head to either side, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

I sat up slowly, noticing I hadn't eaten in awhile. Now I knew how Mandy felt. I was a bit dizzy.

I heard heavy footsteps come towards me and immediatly tensed.

A few yards ahead of me I saw Cory. He was in jeans and a long sleeve green and white horizontally striped shirt.

"Ashley? Hey, you alrite?" he asked when he'd reached me.

In his hand he held a Subway bag.

He sat down on the ground next to me, offering me the sandwich.

"Here, thought you might be hungry."

He smiled. I opened the bag. Inside was a thing wrapped in white paper with the Subway logo on it and put it on the bag on the ground in front of me. I unwrapped it and realised it was a vegetarian sandwich.

I looked at him.

"Vegetarian?" I asked.

"I didn't know what you liked so I got you vegetarian."

"Thanks. Where's..."

"Rachel?"

I nodded, starting to eat t he sandwich; "yeah."

"Class. Why aren't you...?"

In class.

"Bathroom. I bumped into Puck in the hallway and he told me to fuk off."

"Oh."

"You must be freezing."

"No, not really...actually."

"Oh. Why you out here, anyway?

"Well..." I replied, embarassed; "he and I decided to ditch math."

"Oh, of course."

"And we got to talking and...I'd brought up that I'd offered to help him with the bills, and then he took off."

"Ashley."

"Yeah?"

"He doesn't want help."

"Yeah I know that's what he told me."

"Oh."

I ate more of my sandwich.

"Why?" I asked in between bites.

"Because, the last person who helped him...they fell in love and he, got his heart broken."

"Oh. I didn't know that."

"Yeah he keeps himself pretty closed off."

"I know."

"Oh. He doesn't like being reminded of his past."

"It sounds tragic."

"Yeah. It was."

"Was it Santana?"

"Who...broke his heart?"

"Yeah."

"No, someone else."

"Oh."


	21. ch

Rachel

We were all in the choir room. It was between 4 and 6 that day after school. Dianna's head was in my lap. About an hr ago shed tried out for cheerleading but the coach wouldn't let her bc she was hurt by the fact that Dianna had gotten pregnant last yr. Cory surprisingly had also tried out bc he was off football. We were waiting for new members to show not doing much of anything.

Chris looked at santanna and I followed his gaze.

"what?" Dianna asked looking up at me.

Shed noticed my movement.

I held up finger: "hold on."

She nodded.

Chris was staring intently at santannas chest.

"santanna," he began, "did you…did you…get your boobs done?"

"um yeah," she admitted.

They looked bigger.

"oh," dianna whispered.

"but why?" tina asked also looking.

"I wanted to be noticed. Which the coach didn't like."

"oh. Wow."

"that is really sad."

"hey I could've whored myself."

"have you?" puck asked quietly.

"no."


	22. Chapter 42

**Rachel**

During rehearsal dianna put her hand over her mouth and ran out of the room. Chris, amber, puck and I all stood.

"ill get her," puck said.

I looked at him; "no I will. If shes sick then shes probably in the womens restroom."

"yeah. Exactly."

"you only want to go after her so you can have-" amber pointed out.

"amber this isn't health class," mr. schue told her.

"what does he mean by that?"

"ill explain later," chris said.

"ok."

Amber looked at puck; "and not bc you care."

"hey I care."

"yeah enough to get her knocked up again," santanna said.

I looked at mr. schue; "mr. schue? Is it alrite if I go?"

"yes Rachel."

"ok."

I left the room.

I went down the quiet hall.

I wanted to spend more time w/ dianna as id been noticing her more lately. I had feelings for her. She was beautiful in a classic way. And just as distant sometimes.

Id reached the bathroom. I went in. it was cold.

"dianna?" I asked.

"go away," she said.

"its Rache."

"yeah I know."

"whats wrong?"

"im sick."

Well i knew that.

"youre not…"

"im not what?"

"youre not pregnant again are you?"

"no. I, didn't have lunch."

"oh dianna," I said backing up against the wall; "why?"

"shouldn't you be in rehearsal?"

"mr. schue said it was ok for me to go."

"oh. And the cheerleading coach says we need to lose weight."

"but youre not. Um. Fat."

"yes Rachel I know that!"

Oh.

"oh. Im sorry I hadn't meant to annoy."

"no I know its not you. Im just. Hungry."'

"well I have some cranberries in my purse if you want them."

"I don't know maybe."

"ok."

"youre not going back to rehearsal?" she asked.

"no. people need company when theyre not well."

"why are you being so nice to me?"

"because I like you dianna."


	23. Ashley

Ashley

It was Saturday morning and tom, lucy, Janis, joan, ruby, ariel, Rachel, tina and my sisters and I were all at my house. It was between 11 a.m. and lunchtime. Other than tom none of them had been to my house before. Evan and tom had picked them up since they could each have 4 people in their cars. Lucy went w/ rose when we got to my place and tom went w/ alexa.

I knew ruby and ariel from working at the strip club and also from school. I knew Janis and joan from school. Janis and joan were also amandas friends. Ruby and ariels sisters were amandas friends as well. Amanda, Louisa, marie and anna were out somewhere. Wed just come in. they all were looking around.

"you know you can sit down," I told them.

"oh. Well ok. Thank you," tina said politely going over to the sunken living room and sitting in one of the big white sofas.

Rachel followed w/ ariel and ruby following them.

"hey nice house," Janis said.

"thank you," I said.

"it's big. im going to get something to drink," joan said.

"that it is. Ok kitchens right through there."

She left.

"so how do you know Ashley?" tina asked ariel.

I noticed that Rachel was looking at ariel.

"from work. And you?" ariel answered.

"oh what do you do? And I don't really but she invited me over here previously this week. I guess she doesn't know a lot of people here other than you and her family. Er. Obviously."

"yeah. We work in a strip club. What do you do?"

"oh. I don't. I mean work. Im an artist."

"oh wow."

"and im a star," Rachel said: "well im going to be. Are you guys coming to sectionals? You should. And the ballet that Ashley and I are in. and cabaret which im going to be in."

"well youre definitely not shy," Janis said.

"no just not all that popular."

"um we might. What ballet? Whens sectionals?" ariel asked.

"Dracula. And the 28th."

"oh. Thanks for inviting us."

"ballets so pretty," tina said.

"yeah it is. But its hard," I said.

"yeah I know."

"ok so whos hungry?" Janis asked standing.

"oh I am," tina said also standing.

I then realized I was as well: "as am I."

I hadn't yet sit down so I didn't have to stand. Which worked out.

We made our way into the kitchen. Well except for ariel and Rachel.

"does Rachel inform everyone shes a star?" Janis asked.

"yeah im beginning to think so," I said.

"shes very driven. And no shes not shy," tina said.

"yes well we can see that," joan said.

From the living room we heard the opening of 'cabaret' from 'cabaret'.

"well shes talented ill give her that," I said.

"yes yes she is," tina said.

"hey we should've invited jimi then he could play his guitar for us all," Janis said.

I remembered seeing him around school.

"he seems cool," I said.

"yeah he is. Hes really nice."

"maybe I will," joan said pulling out her phone.

Tina looked at me waiting.

"you can help yourselves to anything that's in here," I told them.


	24. Chapter 30

From upstairs we heard kate getting sick. We all looked ceiling wards.

"what was that?" tina asked.

"um. A noise," Rachel said.

"wwell I knew that."

"then whyd you ask?"

"that was my sister kate," I told them.

"oh. She ok?" tina asked.

"yeah shes fine happens all the time. She has cancer. So obviously shes not like you know. All that fine but we're used to it, so."

"right got it."

"ok."

They started opening the cabinets looking for food.

"when does the drinking start?" Janis asked.

"when it starts getting dark. My brother should be around somewhere…."

"oh."

"girl loves her soco," joan informed me.

"oh."

"that's a long way off," Rachel said.

"yeah I know."


	25. Chapter 7

Ashley

It was a few hrs later and we were all ready for the dance. It was semiformal so you could be as dressed up as you wanted but you had to be somewhat dressed up. Rose, Hannah and lily were all wearing long, long sleeve dresses rose in green Hannah in black and lily in white. They often worse those colors. Ariel was in seafoam long, long sleeve dress. Rachel was in a cute vivid blue short strapless w/ a poufy skirt. Tina was in a black figure fitting sleeveless. I was in a dress similar to tinas but pink. We often wore these colors. Janis was in a yellow sundress that had roses on it. And joan was in black leather.

Before we left evan, tom, jesse and karen had all taken photos of us. Evan was now taking us to the school in the van. I knew that Janis and joan and jimi would be performing at the dance.

Lily had on a lily necklace and smelled like them rose had on an emerald rose and smelled like lilacs.

"I like your necklace," Rachel who had a star one on told rose.

Rose smiled: "thank you my moms name was emerald. She passed when I was young. She was English as well. I like yours too."

"yeah stars are my thing."

"hey I like your dress. And your pearls," I told Janis hwo was wearing them.

She smelled like roses.

"thank you. Yeah yellow rose of texas that's me. I was born there. And sometimes im called pearl. You look good in pink."

"Thank you."

As usual she had bracelets up and down her arms.

Ariel had on a seashell necklace.

"I like your necklace," I told her.

"thank you. I love the ocean," she said.

She smelled like it.

For the Halloween dance everyone would be wearing their Halloween costumes. The winter dance was formal.

We drove by joans and picked up her friend jimi. He was in black carrying his guitar.

"hey," I said when he entered the van.

"hey jimi," he said looking my way.

"Ashley nice to meet you."

"yeah you too."

The others introduced themselves.

Tom was back at the house and alexa had decided not to come since she couldn't find anything to wear and she wasn't much for dances.

Ruby was also in the van.

Evan pulled up in front of the school. Before we got out he turned to me.

"hey if you need a ride back," he began.

"yeah well call or text," Hannah told him.

"ok."

"you know one of my dads could pick us up. They don't live too far," Rachel said.

"as could our moms. Actually I think your mom might know them haley and kerry? They also don't live too far," Janis told him.

"ill ask if she does," evan said.

"or my mom," ruby said.

"ok Rachel Janis ruby ill need your addresses and contact info," evan told them.

"ok."

Other than Rachel Janis and ruby the rest of us got out.

"everyone have their tickets and money?" evan asked.

"yeah."

"ok have fun."

We got out into the dark night.

"hey I have to go meet cherie, lita, Jackie and vicki and set up," jimi said.

"ok," I called as he went up the long sidewalk to the school.

I wondered who cherie, lita, Jackie and vicki were.

"theyre in the band," joan said answering my unasked question.

"oh," I said.

"actually I should go meet up w/ them as soon as Janis is finished…."

The van door had been left open.

In the distance to our right the school lights were on.

Lucy was w/ us too.

"my sisters in there too. Somewhere. Shes 15. I should go find her," she said.

Lucy was 17.

"ok," I said.

She left rose going w/ her.

"hey you guys should come hear me sing at the coffee shop," Rachel said.

"the one on Monaco and evans?" I asked.

"uh huh. Its oct. 5th at 7. Its an open mic night. And cabarets in November."

"ok. Btw draculas the 29, 30, 31st and nov 1st," I informed everyone.

And the Halloween dance was oct. 30th.

"im hungry," Janis said.

There would be food inside.

It sure was taking everyone a long time to come out of the van.

"hey I want to talk to you guys. Ashley will you excuse us? You too Hannah. And ruby and ariel," lily said.

"yeah of course."

She Rachel walked away.

"oh crap," Janis said looking at her phone.

She looked back up: "um ill be inside."

"ok," I said.

Everyone else came out of the van and we went inside and made our way to the gym.


	26. Meeting Amber, Puck, Ben

Ashley

We were now in the gym. Wed already given the ticket takers our tickets. Rachel went to go talk to their friends and Janis, joan and jimi went to talk to theirs. The gym had crepe paper hanging from the ceiling and leaves and apples taped to the walls. There was a food table and stage at one end where the do a college guy was. Next to the food table was a punch table. The gym was dark other than the orange yellow and red lights.

I wandered over to the punch table and poured myself some punch. A cute pretty African american young woman in yellow was also standing there. Her earrings were big hoops and her shoes were heels. Her dress was a '50's style one w/ a large circumference.

"hi I like your dress," I told her.

She smiled: "thanks. I like yours too. Im amber. Are you joining the club?"

"thank you. Ashley. And what club?"

"the glee club."

"oh. No."

"oh. Nice to meet you."

"yeah you too."

She left.

I sipped my punch and noticed Hannah talking to 2 guys. Theyd all started dancing.

Ruby and ariel had also started dancing. Lucy and rose were standing talking to a beautiful dark girl who I presumed was lucys sister.

I was standing there not doing much of anything when a tall tan guy in black came over to me and poured himself some punch. He looked me up and down.

"hey I really like your dress. You look hot," he told me.

"thank you you look good too. Im Ashley btw," I said.

"puck good to meet you."

"yeah you too."

"hey would you want to dance w/ me tonight?"

"yeah ok," I said.

"you joinin the club?" he asked.

"youre the 2nd person whos asked ambers the 1st. And no."

"oh."

He smelled like cologne and body heat.

"well if you'll excuse me. Ill see you around," he told me.

"yeah sure."

He went to talk to jimi.

A tall guy who was pale w/ dark red hair came over to me.

"hi can I get you some. Oh never mind," he said realizing I already had punch.

"its ok," I told him.

"um."

He seemed shy.

"im Ashley," I said.

"ben nice to meet you."

"yeah you too. Hey I think theyre about to start," he said looking towards the stage.


	27. Chapter 20

Ashley

A tall guy in black pants a white shirt and black vest stepped onto the stage. It was dark behind him but I could make out 8 figured behind him.

"hi everyone. I'm mr. schue Spanish teacher here at south for those who don't know. And these are the new directions," he said.

He stepped back and a spotlight shown on the group. Amber, Rachel, tina and dianna were up there along w/ another blonde and a brunette. Puck and another 2 guys were up there. The guys had dark hair. That made for 3 guys and 6 girls. They clearly needed more guys. They began w/ the beatles 'all my loving' then went into 'I don't want to miss a thing'. and after 'steal my kisses', 'I cant make you love me', 'at last' and 'girls just wanna have fun'. they then went into 'lets hear it for the boy', 'beauty and the beast', 'hakuna matata', 'can you feel the love tonight', 'boys of summer' and ended w/ 'don't stop believin'.

'I don't want to miss a thing' 'I cant make you love me' and 'can you feel the love tonight' were all slow dances while the rest weren't. the crowd went wile during 'don't stop believing'.

During 'boys of summer' be n drummed his fingers on the tabletop. He had a good sense of rhythm.

"you have a good sense of rhythm," I told him looking at him.

"thank you and youre a good dancer," he said.

"thank you."

During 'I don't want to miss a thing' he went "oh this is such a great song."

"yeah I know. It is," I said.

During 'can you feel the love tonight' I took him by the hands led him out onto the floor and we started slow dancing. I noticed that Hannah was dancing w/ one of her friends and rose and lucy were dancing together. Janis and jimi were dancing together. During the first 4 slow songs ben and I hadn't danced together so I decided we would on the 5th one.

When they were done mr. schue came back onstage.

"thank you. Again the new directions. Be sure to come to our next show which is the 28th. And now for my next act the runaways."

Joan and a feathery blonde and another blonde and 3 brunettes got onstage. The feathery blonde was in a corset.

"hi im joan and these are the runaways cherie, lita, Jackie and vicki. Alrite now whos ready to rock?"

They got out their guitars and started playing.

Within a few mins puck came back to me and stood next to me. He was warm.

"hey good job," ben told him.

"thank you. Im puck btw," puck replied.

"hey ben. Nice to meet you."

"yeah you too. Is it cool if I dance w/ your lady here?"

"uh well were not together but yeah."

"ok cool thanks."

"sure."

Ben went elsewhere.

The runaways performed 'I love playing w/ fire', 'I love rock and roll', 'cherry bomb', 'crimson & clover', 'kiss me deadly', 'wild one', 'born to run' and 'you drive me wild'. again the crowd went wild. Everyone liked rock.

During 'crimson n clover' puck and I danced.

"damn theyre good," puck said.

"yeah I know they really are," I said.

"do you want some more punch?"

Id already had 4 cups.

"yeah ok."

He poured me some more punch. It tasted different than usual slightly bitter and strong.

After them Janis and her band the holding company performed. They performed' piece of my heart' and 'woman left lonely', among others. They were also good.

then jimi performed. He performed 'something', 'while my guitar gently weeps' and 'come together', among others. He was good as well.

Then he and Janis performed. then puck did then Rachel then puck and Rachel. After that it was back to the dj.


	28. Mon, Sept 16: Karen

**Monday., Sept. 16th**

**1 a.m.**

**Karen**

Yesterday - Sunday - when jesse and id come home from the reunion Ashley had rushed to meet us. She informed us that ate was sick and had been for the past few hours. When kesse asked Ashley why she rose and lily weren't at ballet that night which they took 7 days a week 2x a day Ashley had told us that shed had a feeling something was wrong and wanted to be home for what it was. Wed arrived home at 11 p.m. we all drove to the hospital kate bleeding on my lap the way there. When we got to the hospital it was near midnight and they informed us that kate needed more platelets and bone marrow from anna. At the hospital they drew blood from anna put it in a bag and inserted it into kates arm. They had to do this before the bone marrow operation in case kate lost blood during that. This took 30 minutes. Because kate had lost blood and her body was still getting used to the transfusion she was shivering. The nurse we knew alice kept giving kate blankets. Theyd put both kate and anna under in order to perform the operation. Then theyd taken bone marrow from annas pelvis and inserted them into kates arm. The transplant took 6 hrs.

Jesse, Pam and I were waiting in the room, waiting to hear the results from Kate's bone marrow operation. We'd been at the hospital overnight. I was very tired. Before the doctors did the surgery they had anestesthized both Anna and Kate.

Alice, a nurse our family knew and liked, came out into the waiting room.

"You can come in," she told us.

We followed her down the long narrow thin white hall and into the room. Our daughters were lying motionless, one on each bed.

"They're still asleep as you can tell. Sit down," Alice told us, pulling over 2 uncomfortable dark blue plastic chairs.

She sat in one and Pam placed herself in the other. Jesse brought over 2 chairs, one for himself and the othe rfor me. We sat down.

Alice placed the charts on her lap.

"Your daughter's," she began, "lost a significant amount of weight."

"How much?" I asked.

"20 pounds."

"Wow."

Kate, had been who had been her heaviest at 130, was now 110.

"Has she been sick lately?" Alice asked.

I looked to Jesse who was home more and would know such things.

"Yes. She's been bleeding a lot too," he answered.

"That's what landed her in here in the first place," Pam put in.

"That's what she told me. In a few days we'll need to give her a blood transfusion to balance her platelet levels. This might help with some of the bleeding."

"Will it stop it?" I asked.

Alice looked at me.

"It might," she answered.

She turned back to Jesse.

"Could you remind me again of the family history of cancer?" Alice asked.

"My sister had it. AML."

"A rarity."

"Yes. She died from it, actually," Jesse continued.

"I'm very sorry Mr. Fitzgerald."

"Thank you."

"We're so afraid for Kate, that she won't..." I said, my blue eyes wide.

Pam placed her hand over mine.

"Does Kate cut?" Alice asked.

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"Ms. Brewer, as you most likely know, it's very common for girls Kate's age to do that."

"Oh. No, not that I know of."

"Ok. If she cuts and she gets an infection, her mortality rate goes down."

I nodded.

When anna and kate were getting their transfusions jesse and I's friends from the reunion and school bobby and Amanda came to the hospital. At which time Hannah, rose, lily and the twins were wandering around the hospital. Evan was back at the house and Ashley, alexa and tom were near us Ashley in the same waiting room as jesse and I, alexa and tom in another. Pam amd marie were elsewhere marie somewhere outside and pam in the hospital.

When the doors opened and bobby and Amanda came in jesse and I stood. Bobby and Amanda came towards us. We all hugged even though id seen them a few hours before.

"hey youre here," Jesse said

"yeah well. Pam told us you were here when we texted her and said we wanted to meet your daughters," Amanda said.

"oh. Well ashleys here and alexas. Somewhere."

"in the next waiting room over," Ashley supplied standing.

I looked at her; "yes that's right thank you."

She looked at Amanda; "ok now you I already know since I take strip. Er. Dancing w/ you downtown."

"yes that's right," Amanda said.

"dancing?" I whispered leaning towards jesse.

"pole dancing," he answered.

"oh."

Ashley looked at bobby; "but you I don't know."

"im bobby a friend of your moms."

"oh nice to meet you. Im Ashley her daughter. Well. One of them."

He smiled; "I figured."

"now our sons not here, but maybe you can meet him tomorrow. That is. If you want to come for breakfast," jesse said.

Amanda smiled; "that's fine."

"ok."

"and the others are around here. Somewhere, as is pam," I said.

"ok well I want to meet alexa. Oh and the others of course," Amanda said.

"as do I," bobby put in.


	29. Ashley: Thinking

Ashley

I sat there in the quiet hallways w/ Amanda, thinking about all this. The fact that back in Brooklyn when it was quiet meant something bad was going to happen wasn't. good. Well it was that way here too but it didn't mean I was in danger just that kate was. It was really a matter of unpredictability the unpredictability of life. And timing the timing of everything. My dad could've done worse than hurting me the way he did. Id ended up hospitalised bc of him. But, if id somehow died, I wouldn't have to live w/ that knowledge. I was young when my mom died. She was sick. And in a way she was lucky my dad didn't kill her that she went that way. She was the one who taught me to play piano. After she died I stopped playing.

I didn't know what it meant for things to be quiet without something big happening.

Its pretty sad that my own adoptive mom didn't tell me she was scared that her own friend, one of my bosses, had to. Amanda was nice a lot nicer than karen at times. Karen basically inferred she didn't care what I did w/ my life. And neither had my dad. But I had to stay w/ my family in case something happened to karen. So I didn't have time to focus on me.

"hey," Amanda said quietly.

I looked at her; "yeah?"

"im going to go check on your mom ok?"

"ok. Thank you."

"of course honey. You know where to find me."

"yeah always."

She stood.

She left leaving me there in the quiet.

As I listened to the quiet my head got tighter. It started in my forehead and around my eyes then moved to my sides. I pulled my knees up to my chest and put my head on them. I did some yoga breaths and closed my eyes.

I near fell asleep.

* * *

Soft quiet footsteps approached me from behind and 2 big soft cold hands touched my neck. I lifted my head back towards whoever it was.

"no don't," he said, "put your head forward again back on your knees."

I did and his hands started rubbing my neck.

"omygod," I said as I breathed out surprised by how good it felt.

"I know. My sisters used to get the same thing. Constant pressures gonna be the best thing. Shhh just breathe."

"I…"

"don't talk."

Ok.


	30. Anna

**Anna**

I was changing into my pajamas that night when I noticed a line of light purple bruises on my left arm. After I changed I went down the long thin narrow carpeted hall and knocked on the tall wood door of the room Kate had been in.

"Yeah?" Evan called from inside.

"I need to talk to Kate."

He opened the door and stepped out, letting me.

I walked over to Kate who was on the bed.

"Katie, look," I said and showed her my arm, "we match."

Her blue eyes were full of fear and shock.

"What?" I asked.

I knew something was wrong.


	31. Chapter 22

**Ashley**

It was later that day, after school and almost time for rehearsal. I was outside the choir room. From inside I heard someone playing the piano. Whoever it was was very good and the sweeping music filled the still room. It was dark haunted sensual. I recognised it as 'Music Of The Night' from 'Phantom Of The Opera'. The music went up and down. It made everything still and swept you up into the song, the story. The song ended and another one began, 'Memory' from 'Cats'. I'd always liked this one. The notes were higher, and graceful, in a way. They washed over you. It ended and Ella Fitzgerald's 'Lullaby Of Birdland' began. It was fun, lighter. I slowly turned the big cold silver knob and slowly opened the big wooden door to find Puck sitting at the piano, playing. He looked up when I entered never taking his fingers from the keys. I went and sat on the gray carpeted bleachers.

"Hey," he said, still playing.

"Hey I didn't know you played," I returned.

"Well now you do."

"How long you been playin?"

"Since I was 7. I also play guitar."

"7 wow. You're really good."

"Thanks. You know who this is?"

"Ella Fitzgerald, Lullaby Of Birdland."

"Right. You like jazz?"

"Love it."

"Good I was hoping you'd say that."

"Oh? Why?" I asked.

"Well some friends of mine are playing at a place downtown this Friday and I'm inviting you. What are you doing this Friday?"

"Um I have my show."

"Oh that's right. How long do they usually last?"

"A few hours."

"Oh. What about after?"

"Ok."

We'd go downtown after my show.

He began Heart's 'Alone'.

"What happened to your arm?" I asked.

"My mom hit me this morning when she came home drunk," he replied without hesitation.

"Oh. Why?"

"I was the nearest uh, thing."

"Oh. I've been there."

"You have?"

"Yeah, back up in Brooklyn my dad used to do the same thing."

"Oh. Your mom?"

"Dead, she's been dead for awhile."

"Oh."

"Your dad?"

"He split."

"Oh. You seem so comfortable here," I observed.

"Well I've always been comfortable around music. It's part of the reason I joined the club."

"Yeah I get that."

He started 'Maybe This Time' from 'Cabaret'.

"Hey would you like to meet Kate after?" I asked.

"After...?"

"Oh, well I got ballet after this so I was thinking then."

After ballet.

"Sure."

"Ok."


	32. Chapter 32

Tuesday

It was Tuesday at lunch. Rachel, Mike, Tina, Dianna, Adam, Jessica, Puck, Alexa, Rose, Lily, Hannah, Eric, Brian, Ben and myself were all in the choir room for the dance committee meeting.

I knew Jessica from cheerleading and adam, eric and brian just from seeing them around the school. Jessica had blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Alrite, so how do we want to decorate?" Rachel asked.

"Uh, Halloween-like," Mike answered.

"Well we know that," Tina answered.

"We could have black and orange crepe paper streamers across the ceiling and balloons," Dianna answered.

"Ok, and giant paper cats, ghosts, witches, ravens, spiders and pumpkins," Adam said.

"Someone could be the..." Jessica leaned forward and pantomimed gazing into a crystal ball.

"Fortune teller," puck supplied.

"Yeah."

"Someone else could read tarot cards," alexa said.

"Cool, and we could have another person do palmistry," rose said.

"We could have a, um," lily began.

She put her hands up, bringing them together and pulled them apart, then down and together again. She then made her right hand arc over the space, twice.

"Ouija board?" Hannah guessed.

She looked at him and smiled; "yeah, that."

"Oh, and also...fog," eric said.

"Cool," brian agreed.

"And we could have like, printed out Poe writings," ben said.

I looked at him, confused; "like, on the wall?"

"Yeah, I think I get what he means," Rachel put in.

"You mean, we'd print out writings of his, take 'em to Kinko's, have them enlarged-" mike began.

At which point tina laughed.

"What?" dianna asked, looking at him.

"Enlarged."

"Shutit," adam told him.

"Ok, sorry."

"Mike, you were saying?" Jessica asked.

"And then put them on the walls."

"Ok sounds good," puck said.

"There could be dancing ghosts, cats, witches and ravens. Like, dancing lights in the shape of them," alexa said.

"Ok," rose agreed.

"And there would be giant fake coffins in the corners," lily added.

"What about lighting and music?" hannah asked.

"Dark lighting," eric said.

"Do you think they'd let us have candles?" brian asked.

"No, not actual ones," ben answered.

"But maybe those battery powered ones?" Isuggested.

"Ok cool," Rachel replied.

"We could play horror movies," mike said.

"Ok, and as for music..." Dianna began.

"We definately need to have Monster Mash," adam said.

"Yeah it's a classic," Jessica said.

"Something from Nightmare Before Christmas," puck said.

"Something ethereal yet rock-like," alexa said.

"Emilie Autumn?" rose suggested.

"Yeah that'd be awesome."

"The glee club'll be performing a number from Cats and one from Wicked also," Lilt said.

"So, we could have both of those soundtracks," Hannah said.

"Ok," eric said.

"What about pop?" brian asked.

Ben looked at him; "Pop?"

"Not like, Beach Boys, '50's kind of stuff. I mean, popular music nowadays."

"Oh."

"Yeah that'd work," I concurred.

"What about food and beverages?" Chris asked.

"The fruit punch could be 'bubbling' out of black plastic cauldrons," Rachel said.

"Bubbling?" mike asked.

"Yeah, someone could be underneath the tablecloths and be blowing bubbles through a straw."

"Oh."

"The food?" tina asked.

"Sweets, strawberries, raisins, grapes and chocolate," dianna said.

"Ok, yeah I get it," adam said.

"Because of their colors," Jessica said.

"We could sell merchandise from the show Wicked," puck suggested.

"Yeah that's a great way to raise money for the club's trip," alexa said.

"Ok, like brooms, mixed CDs, posters, the books, those little umbrella thingys," rose said.

"Parasols," lily supplied.

"Yeah those."

"Now who's doing what?" Hannah asked.

"The club's taking care of the sweets," eric answered.

"I'll bring the strawberries, raisins and grapes," brian added.

"Ok I'll bring the punch," ben put in.

"I'll take care of the music," I said.

"I'll get the lighting," Rachel said.

"And the rest of us will shop for the decorations after club rehearsal tonight," mike said.

"Ok sounds good," tina said.

"You're free to go," dianna said.

We left.


	33. Ashley: puck, roof

Ashley

It was several hours later, night. Puck and I were up in the mountains. It was dark. We were lying in the front seats of his car gazing at the sky through the moon roof. I saw trees around us.

"wow its so pretty here," I said.

"and quiet," he said.

"yeah. I know."

"its almost as if you don't want to say anything for fear of disturbing it all. The. The silence."

"yeah exactly that's exactly it."

He reached and took my hand. I moved closer to him putting my leg on top of his. I couldn't move much closer bc the box thing in between the seats was in the way.

"um. Wow. This might be a problem," I said.

"no its fine ive got it," he said.

He took me and we moved onto my seat.


	34. Ashley: Halloween, costumes school

That night we were attending the Halloween dance then going out trick or treating with Anna and Kate. Then we were going to the Halloween party at my place where there'd be drinking food and a séance.

We all arrived in school dressed in our costumes. Mandy was a flapper, amber was Etta James, puck was james dean. Lily my sister was of course a lily. Rebecca was fire. Alexa and tom were frida and Diego. Brittany was a duck Santanna was a salsa dancing tomato. Her sisters were guacamole. Finn was brad from rocky horror. Quinn was a '50's housewife and Sam her boyfriend a '50's businessman. Marie was Josephine baker. Rachel was grizabella from cats an overly dramatic costume of course. A few weeks earlier the girls and I'd gone shopping for long winter coats which we were wearing over our costumes.

When we got to school the hall was crowded with students dressed in costume. We saw everything from aliens to xylophones.

"omygod you look adorable," Mandy told me as we all crowded into the auditorium.

Dianna had lent me her glinda costume from when she was in wicked.

"Thank you. It's a little hard to move in though," I said.

The skirt of the dress was huge and poufy.

"And you don't look so bad yourself," I told Mandy.

"And look! I can even Charleston," Mandy cried doing the dance.

I looked down at her feet while she danced.

"Did you learn that just for Halloween?" I asked.

"No. I've been wanting to for awhile. It's so easy. No wonder the women in the '20's were so thin."

"Hey great job," puck said coming over.

"Thanks," Mandy said.

"I can't even do that."

He tried rather unsuccessfully to Charleston. We laughed.

"And I know Cory couldn't," Tina said coming over.

She was gorgeous in a purple silk kimono and her hair up. Her face was painted white.

We laughed at her remark.

"You're gorgeous," Mandy told her.

"Thanks so'r you."

I saw a trace of sadness in Mandy's eyes.

'You ok?' I mouthed.

She swallowed; 'yeah fine'

'If you…you know. Need to talk'.

'Later'

'Ok'

"You….you do know what a geisha is?" I said to Tina.

"mmm yes. It's an homage to my ancestory," she replied saying 'homage' dramatically.

"My princess I've found you," puck said taking my hand and dipping me.

Rachel cleared her throat clearly envious of the attention I was getting.

"And my prince," I smiled.

I stood looking at pucks black and white costume trying to figure it out.

"But….what are you supposed to be?" I asked.

"A guitar."

"Oh cool."

"Hey cool costume man," mike said coming over.

"Thanks. You look dapper."

"I'm confused. Who are you?" Brittany asked.

Mike stuck his hands down by his hips and walked a penguin walk.

"Oh, Bert," puck, Tina and Mandy chorused.

"From Mary poppins," Santanma said.

"No, actually. He's Chaplin," I said.

Mike looked at me; "that's right."

Serena came over dressed in a beautiful poufy pink yellow and blue gown.

"Hey what are you?" puck asked her.

"I'm a princess," she replied.

"We're all princesses love," I told her; "and actually I'm glinda."

"Oh from wicked."

"Yeah Dianna lent me her costume."

We made our way down the hall and into the gym where the cheerleaders performed. Santanna and her sisters salsaed Sam and Dianna did a duet. It was fun.

Once we finished there we made our way door to door to collect candy. I sighed.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked.

"I just…around this time of year I miss my mother."

"I completely understand dear. I lost mine too."

"I know. She was the one who. Um. Taught me about being spiritual."

"And speaking of….look at that gorgeous creature."

I looked ahead where he'd indicated. In the classroom along the back wall was a stunning young woman. She was afircan-american with tight black curls. She was wearing a black dress. On the windowsill behind her were lit candles.

"Who lights candles during the day?" amber asked.

"A certain kindof woman does," I replied.

"I know exactly what you mean," puck said.

"And you know that how?" Brittany asked.

"You'll find out soon enough."

We continued our trick or treating with the woman following. We then went up to the choir room for Halloween baked goods. We weren't having rehearsal but Mr. schue had invited us to his small Halloween party.

"This is great. No rehearsal just. Time to relax," Ben said as we entered.

"I know."

"ooh cupcakes," Mandy said spying them on the piano.

"How bout one for you, cupcake?" Sam asked Dianna.

"Hey I thought you were a '50's couple not a '40's couple," I said.

"Can't we be both?" Dianna replied.

In the backround I heard rocky horror playing.

"Of course this cuts into our rehearsal time…" Rachel muttered.

"Rachel. Would you relax?" Cory said.

"Well I want to win nationals."

"Yes we know."

"Halloween's not about winning."

Ben grabbed 2 cupcakes giving one to me.

"Thanks hun," I said sitting down and smoothing my dress.

He sat down next to me.

"ooh witches brew," Santanna said picking up a tall glass of something that had smoke drifting over the top of it.

"Or, you know in the words of miles Davis. Bitches brew," Dianna said.

"You'd know about that," Rachel said.

"Hey!"

"Ladies let's not fight," Chris said.

"Did you see the girl?" Ben asked.

"The one in black?" I asked.

He nodded; "uh huh."

"She is gorgeous."

"I know and she's been following us all morning. Wonder what she wants."

"I've a pretty good idea. Don't be surprised if she shows up at my house tonight."

"uh ok."

'Maya,' somebody whispered along my ear.

I looked behind me and noticed the young woman standing in the hall.

'Maya', she mouthed.

Puck had grown quiet.

"Hey. You alrite?" I asked.

"Yeah I'm just, kinda sad," he answered.

I sighed; "yeah, Halloween does that to people."


	35. Mandy

**Mandy**

It was several hours later and Tina and I were sitting in my room. She looked around.

"Been awhile hasn't it?" she asked.

"hm? Since what?" I returned.

"Since anyone said you were gorgeous."

"Oh. That."

"Yeah. I saw the look in your eyes."

"Yeah well. No one usually does on a regular basis. They usually notice Ashley first. Or Dianna. Serena even."

"Yeah you know that's really sad."

I swallowed; "it is."

"Mandy?" a voice said from the door.

I looked up saw Brittany standing at the door.

"Yeah?"

"Can I see you?

"Um ok."

"Actually…."

She came over to the bed and lifted my wrist to her mouth.

"What happened to your neck?" Tina asked.

On brittany's neck were 2 bite marks.

"I got bitten," she answered smiling hungrily.

"What? By who?"

"bel…..Bella. And now I'm just like her. I need to get to Kate."

"No. you're not feeding off of Kate."

"I need blood to live. Just like Rachel needs applause to live. Maybe next time one of them cuts I can watch them."

"You're insane."

"You don't understand and you won't until you're bitten."


	36. Ashley: Night

**Ashley**

It was later that night. We'd gone trickortreating with Anna, Kate, alexa, tom, Rebecca and Evan and were now gathered in my living room in a circle a spirit board in front of us. We were half drunk. The lights were turned off and candles lit.

We heard toenails click across the floor.

"What's that?" Chris asked the candlelight reflected in his blue eyes.

"That's Luna," I told him.

"Luna?"

"Lily's cat. My, sister, lilys. Cat."

"Oh ok."

"I'm Maya and I'm here to help you," a voice said.

"It's her! The girl from school!" Rachel cried.

"Yes. I'm here to help you reconnect with your loved ones. Who's first? Ashley? Puck, Chris? Cory?"

"Wow she knows who we are," Brittany said.

"Of course she knows who we are she's psychic," Santanna said.

"Hello dear," a male voice said; "good to see you again."

"omygod it's him," Tina said.

"artie," Cory said.

We smelled cologne.

"I was waiting for tonight to talk to you," he continued; "hello everyone. Ashley, Mandy."

"artie is that you?" Brittany asked.

"Yes Brittany," I heard him smile.

"We really miss you," Chris said.

"I know you do. I heard you talking about me the night Chris had his accident."


	37. Evan

Evan

After I'd gone to my place where Rebecca was, we'd stayed there for a few hours. Then I'd gone to my parents' and was now at the airport.

I'd found a parking spot at the airport. I parked and my sisters and I got out of the jeep. It was around 6:40. The sun had set and the night was cold. Marie, Lily and I walked through the automatic doors of the entrance and into the large crowded airport. I flipped my phone open and dialed the number my dad had given me, for Mark dads friend from college.

"Hello?" a male voice asked.

"Yes, is this Mark?" I asked.

"Yeah, is this Evan?"

"Yeah, where are you?"

"Baggage claim."

"Ok we'll be there in a few."

We hung up.

My dad must've given Mark my cell number.

We made our way to the baggage claim, where we stopped at a crowded gray carousel. My phone buzzed.

"Yeah?" I asked, flipping it open.

"Hey, are you at the baggage claim?" he asked.

"Yeah, which one are you by?"

"4, and you?"

"5."

"Ok."

We hung up. My sisters looked at me expectantly.

"He's at 4," I told them.

"It's right behind us," Marie informed me.

"Oh," I said, turning around.

We went over and stood next to a guy my dad's height, wearing black pants and a green shirt. He was about my dad's age, with dark hair. Bags rolled by on the carousel.

"Waiting for someone?" Marie asked him.

"Yes, and you?" he asked her.

"Sort of."

I knew she was thinking of him as her next customer.

The guy looked at me: "hey, you must be Evan."

"Yes, and you are?"

"I'm Mark."

"Oh, hey!"

I helped him get his black suitcase off the carousel.

"And these are my sisters, Marie and Lily," I introduced.

"Hello," Marie said at the same time Lily said "hi."

"Hey, nice to meet you," Mark said as we walked away from the baggage carousels.

"And you as well," said Marie.

"How was your flight?" I asked.

"Ok. Hey, have you guys had dinner yet?"

"No, actually."

My phone buzzed: "yeah?"

"Hi, where are you?" Rebecca's voice asked.

"Airport, picking up Dad's friend. I should be back in about an hour or so."

"Ok."

"Bye hun."

"Bye."

We hung up.

"Who was that?" Mark asked, looking at me.

"Girlfriend."

"She's lovely," Marie informed him.


	38. Hannah

Hannah

That night I went to my dads room. He was sitting at his desk a blank piece of paper in front of him.

"any luck?" I asked.

He looked up my way.

"no no. I really haven't felt inspired."

"yeah I know you said that awhile ago."

"oh. What can I do for ya?"

I went in closing the door behind me. I sat on his bed.

"well…when I was in the living room mark came in. we talked about Greece which I was drawing and have always wanted to visit."

"mmmhmm."

"I mentioned Kate and he brought up that he knew what it was like knowing someone who was sick. And he told me. About your mom. And her…you know. When you were in college."

"yeah the," dad looked down, "sleeping pills."

"right. What haven't you told us?"


	39. Chapter 25

**Saturday**

It was Saturday. We were all in the choir room waiting for Mr. Schue to come in. Everyone was talking. It had snowed yesterday and today. It was cold, white and gray outside. The leaves had fallen off the trees indicating winter. Serena was at ballet then she had work tonight and ballet tomorrow morning. The dance committee had had a meeting at lunch, discussing the Halloween dance. We'd brought in our decorations, lighting and music. We'd talked about the winter formal, then went to sell the baked goods as we did every day at lunch. Mandy decided she'd rather sell them than eat them.

Yesterday Lily had slept all day because she'd been hungover from drinking.

Mr. Schue came in, sitting in his usual blue plastic chair at the center of the room.

"I have another assignemnt," he said.

We looked at him expectently.

"I want you to sing ballads to each other. Does anyone know what a ballad is?"

"It's a male duck," Diana said.

The group laughed.

"That's a mallard Dianna," Cory told her.

"I know."

She smiled.

"A ballad's a love song," Rachel said.

"No, not neccessarily," Mandy said.

"It's a song that expresses emotion," Amber said.

"Isn't every song?" Chris asked.

"Not to state the obvious but...yes," Adam asked.

"Not, in the way other songs do," Mr. Schue said.

"Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons did a lot of pop ballads," Brian said.

"Yes, they did."

"I'll sing one with Santana," Brittany said.

"I'll sing with Ashley," Puck said.

"He won't let us do that. Remember last time?" Tina reminded the group.

I wondered how she knew this.

"Oh yeah that's right," Mike said.

"Tina's absolutely right," Mr. Schue told us.

"So who's with who?" Santana asked.

"Dianna, you're with Cory...Rachel, you're with Mandy, Amber and Adam. Chris and Brian. Brittany and Puck, Santana and Tina, Mike and Leo, and ...wow Ashley I don't have anyone for can pick someone."

"Ben," I said, looking over at him.

He was cute. Fair with deep blue eyes, shy. He smiled at me.

"Ok. I want you guys to pick a song. Now I'd like to hear what songs you've chosen for the assignment, and why. Dianna, you're up first."


	40. Chapter 26

Rachel

Dianna and I were at my house making out in my room that night. Shed come home w/ me after rehearsal.

"girls, din-" my dad john said opening my door.

Dianna and I pulled apart.

"dad!" I said.

"oh Rachel. Its ok im just glad to see you have a new friend. Anyway I came up here to let you know dinners ready," he said.

Dianna looked taken aback; "im. Im allowed to stay for dinner?" she asked.

Dad looked at her; "of course honey. Why wouldn't you be? We love having you stay as long as you want. Or. Need."

"I just. Its so weird bc when I was pregnant living in my friends car and told him he wasn't the father he. Um. I couldn't live there any more. He. Kicked me out. As did my dad."

I looked at her; "well this is much better than a car."

"its much bigger too," dad put in.

"so. I mean. youre not gonna kick me out?"

"I understand why youd think that but no were not."

"cmon. Lets go have dinner," I said.

"I. that's ok im not hungry," dianna said.

"well I still want you to come down."

"ok."

We all left my room went down the stairds into the kitchen and sat down to dinner.

"what are we having?" I asked.

"inidian food," my dad aaron said.

I took some from the big pot and put it on my plate then passed it to dianna.

"dianna? Whats wrong isn't it good?" aaron asked.

"oh no its very good mr….um. Berry. Im just im not hungry."

"oh. Well ok. Well make sure to save some for leftovers if you get hungry later."

"ok."

* * *

That night dianna and I were lying in bed. We heard my dads talking downstairs.

"im a little worried about dianna," aaron said.

"yeah I know me too. She didn't eat dinner," john said.

"maybe she just needs time."

"she sure looked hungry."

"don't push it."

"I didn't say I was going to. And. Im not."

"ok. Or maybe shes afraid of food being taken away from her like everything else was."

"what she needs now is stability. Oh and understanding."


	41. Chapter 27

**Hannah**

It was hours later. Eric and I were settled on the sofa on the back porch of his couch, after smoking. I'd gotten so content that I'd settled back into him; he was really comfortable. The sun had set by now, leaving the night dark.

"You're really comfortable," I told Eric.

"Thank you, so I've heard. So..."

"Hm?"

"You draw a lot of Greece."

"Yeah, I love Greece. I'd love to go there some day. Just...observe the country, learn about mythology. I'd love to have an owl and name her Athena, or Diana. I've had dreams about it, even."

"Wow. It fits you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You seem very...Greek."

I laughed; "meaning?"

"Well. Ever seen My Life In Ruins?" Eric asked.

"I have that DVD!"

"Not surprisingly."

"I also have My Big Fat Greek Wedding...and The Sisterhood."

"Of the Pants?"

Again, I laughed; "yes, of the Pants. As though it belongs to the pants."

"Mm. But, it's been said that the Greeks love partying. You seem like a girl that likes to party, or dance at the very least," Eric observed.

"I do."

"Ever been clubbing?"

"Um, no."

"Would you like to go?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Unless...you have plans."

"No, no. Just let me go ask my dad."

"Ok."

I got up, went through the back door of Eric's place, out the front and crossed the lawn into mine. From the kitchen I smelled pasta.

"Hey Dad!" I called.

"Kitchen!" he called back.

I went into the kitchen, where Dad, Jennifer and Mark were. Mark and Dad were sitting at the table, Jennifer standing at the stove stirring a big pot of pasta. Mark was drawing.

"Yeah hun?" Dad asked when he saw me.

"Um, I'm going out with Eric tonight."

"Ok, but do you have time to you stay for dinner?"

"Yeah, just let me tell him. I'll ask if he wants to come."

"Ok."

I walked over to the table and peered over Mark's shoulder. I recognized the tall, white buildings of Greece I often drew, and the vast ocean-blue sky.

"Wow," I whispered.

Mark looked up at me; "yes?"

"That's...that's Greece."

"Yes, yes it is. My grandfather's Greek, and I've always wanted to go."

"So have I."

"Maybe some day we can."

I turned and went back to Eric's.

* * *

After dinner Evan drove Eric and I downtown, with directions given by Evan. By the time we arrived at the club it was already dark. The night was cold. I'd brought my ID, phone, sewing scissors and keys with me in my small black purse. Eric looked nice in all black. Evan and I were sitting in front and Eric was sitting in the back of Eric's car.

"So, Eric," Evan said, looking in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know my sister?"

"We're in the same art class."

"Oh."

"How do you know Rebecca?"

"I picked her up downtown one day. Like, I literally picked her up."

"In the district?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I've seen her down there myself."

"Oh."

"She knows Marie, right?"

Evan nodded; "yeah."

Evan parked across the street.

"Do you guys need me to pick you up?" he asked, as we unbuckled, opened the doors and got out.

"No we'll take...my car, actually," Eric replied.

"Oh ok."

Evan got out and gave the keys to Eric.

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

"You got a way to get back?" I asked.

Evan nodded; "yeah."

"Ok."

Evan started to walk away. Eric reached into the car and got a long black coat out. He handed it to me.

"Here, it's a bit cold," he said.

"Thanks," I said putting it on.

It was big, roomy, reached to the ground and smelled like him.

"Hey Hannah," Evan called while I was buttoning the coat.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"I will."

"Ok."

"Don't worry I won't let anything happen to her," Eric called.

Evan walked off.

* * *

It was the night Eric and I went clubbing.

We'd arrived across the street from a parking lot, downtown. It was a Wednesday. It was dark.

"So where exactly is this place?" I asked as Evan pulled up to the curb.

"It's actually right across the street through the, uh, parking lot," Eric replied, indicating with his finger.

"Ok," Evan said, parking.

He let us out and drove away.

We went across the street to the parking lot. The night was cold. I shivered a little my shoulders going up.

"You alrite?" Eric asked looking at me.

I looked at him, down, smiled.

"Yeah [it's] jut a little cold," I replied.

"We'll be there/inside soon."

"Thanks," I added.

Eric smiled: "sure."

We made our way across the parking lot straight in the middle.

"Um," I began, looking around.

"Yes?" Eric asked.

"Shouldn't we be, um. On the perimeter? Of the…"

"Parking lot?"

"Yeah."

"We won't get hit Hannah."

"How do you know?"

"Well for one do you _see_ any cars driving around?"

"it's not the cars it's the people inside the cars who are driving."

"That's beyond the point."

Upon looking around I noticed the only cars I saw were already parked.

"And for another," he began, "it's not like the people _want_ to hit the other people."

"Pedestrians. And only 10% do it intentionally."

"Yeah them too."

I laughed.

He moved closer to me taking my hand in his.

"Wow you are cold," he said.

I smiled, my shoulders moving up. His hand was warm.

"What's it like?" I asked.

"Oh the club?"

"Yeah."

"it's great you'll like it, everyone there is really nice," he answered: "my brother and his girlfriend are coming. Our sister'll be there too."

"oh who's his girlfriend?"

"Brianna."

He pronounced it 'bree-on-na', as did everyone who knew her.

I looked at him, surprised: "you're…you're kidding."

"No why?"

"I actually know her. And her sister belle."

"And Georgia and Giselle?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Their parents went to school with my mom. Karen that is."

He nodded: "right."

He looped my arm around hi as we neared the stairs.

"Oh are you escorting me in?" I asked.

He laughed.

"Escorting," he muttered.

I waited.

"That makes me sound like a male prostitute."

I laughed: "omygod! Shut up."

"Make me."

I looked at him: "are….are you…."

A slow smile spread across my face: "you're flirting with me. Aren't you," I realised.

"Um yeah. I was."

I neared closer to him.

"You'd like that. Wouldn't you," I said lowly into his neck.

"You," he swallowed, "you know it."

"Am I making you, uncomfortable," I whispered already knowing the answer.

I smiled, looked down. With my free hand I moved my hand over my left shoulder.

"Hey I thought Ashley was the only flirt in the family."

"Well clearly she's not."

We'd reached the tall door set in the brick building. 2 guy dressed in black framed either side of it.

"ID please miss," he asked me.

I flashed him my ID as well as a smile.

He waved us past him.

"I know one way to shut you up. It's a damn surefire way too," I muttered.

"Oh there's time for that yet love. You want anything to drink?"

"Like a real drink or…."

"Either."

"Maybe later."

"Ok well I'm going to get something."

He unlooped his arm and left, going somewhere I didn't know.

I looked around the dimly lit club spotting a curved leather seat against one of the brick walls. I carefully sat down on it still in my coat. The club was somewhat empty.

When we got in the club eric took my purse and coat and put them on one of the round leather sofas along the brick wall. The club was nearly empty. Despite that I went to an empty space. Eric came up to me.

"hey want a drink?" he asked.

"um ok."

This was really the first time id danced outside of school dances. I moved to the music. I wasn't sure how I looked and didn't really dance for anyone. The club was dark.

"hey lookin great out there," a female voice called.

This surprised me. Both the calling and the compliment.

I turned and saw a brunette deressed entirely in black sitting next to a blonde in white. They were both in leather. The brunnete had dark eyes and the blonde both had short hair the brunettes straight the blondes feathery.

They stood the brunette telling the blonde something then leaving.

The blonde came up to me.

"hey this your first time?" she asked.

"um. Yeah," I told her.

"well youre great."

"really? Thanks. This is actually my first time dancing outside of like, school dances."

"yeah man. Anyway im cherie I frequent the club. And the brunette who just left is joan. She went outside for a smoke."

"oh. Im Hannah."

"nice to meet you."thanks. You too. So whos the guy you came w/?"

"oh hes just…were not. Were not really officially together."

"oh."

"yeah were neighbors in the same art class."

"oh."

"that's eric."

"right."

As we talked I noticed what a striking woman she was.

* * *

**Tuesday**

After Eric and I got back from clubbing we collapsed onto his outdoor couch. It was around 3 a.m. the next morning. The morning was dark quiet and cold.

"brrr," I said.

"hey ill be right back," he told me standing.

"uh ok."

"In the meantime here," he tossed a bag of brown powder onto the clear glass table.

"what's this?" I asked looking at it and then up at him.

"nutmeg. Knock yourself out."

He went in the house.

I smiled thinking this was a more apt term for Mandy who sometimes passed out.

I wondered what happened to the pot wed smoked earlier.

I didn't want to start taking hits without Eric but he'd told me to knock myself out so I guess I was welcome to the brown stuff.

I leaned forward and opened the bag. Right away I knew what it was. The smell was strong potent. It was nutmeg. We had some in our house too.

"hey man," I heard a guy inside say to Eric.

"hey you just wake up?" Eric asked.

"yeah."

"k. I'm gonna get the stuff she's already out there."

"ok."

The front door behind me opened. I tensed getting the small pocket knife Evan had given me out of one of my boots and put it in my hand concealed.

I wondered what 'the stuff' was.

The door closed and someone stepped onto the porch.

"hey," he said.

I turned towards his voice.

"I'm Leo," he introduced.

"um hi. Hannah."

"eric'll be out in a minute."

"Oh. Ok."

"hey man you seen the mix?" Eric called from inside.

"should be on top of the player."

"yeah and idinno where that is cuz it's dark."

"ok ill come look."

Leo went back inside.

The porch light flicked itself on.

"gavin comin?" Eric asked.

"yeah."

I wondered who gavin was.

* * *

I heard footsteps cross the lawn and come up onto the porch. The guy who came onto the porch looked like the hot guy from country strong the one w/ the blue eyes.

"hey, gavin," he introduced sitting.

"hey Hannah," I said.

He seemed approachable.

"whatsup"

"nothing much. I'm waitin for the stuff whatever that is."

"oh don't worry. It's just the ludes and stuff."

"ludes?"

"oh Quaaludes."

"um…right and they are…..?"

"drugs. Were they were drugs back in the '70's."

"oh ok."

"you seem nervous," he remarked.

I was slightly comfortable w/ this remark.

"sorry I just. I'm good at reading people my aunts the same."

"it's ok so's my sister. She got it from her mom. And yeah I was nervous about the stuff before you told me what it was. I thought it was some weird. Sexual thing."

"oh. No don't worry."

"and about leo."

"oh he's cool that's just how he comes across."

"ok. I was taken aback but not at all. Put out."

"you ever done this before?" he asked looking at the nutmeg.

"no but I have done pot so."

"yeah its pretty much the same."

He leaned forward; "mind if I take a few hits?"

"no go right ahead."

"ok."

* * *

**2 a.m.**

It was 2 in the morning when eric woke me.

"hey," he said tapping me on the shoulder.

"hm?" I asked still half asleep.

"wanna lude?"

"now?"

"no 3 weeks from fukin Tuesday. Yes _now_."

"uh….where?"

"my place."

"uh oh ok."


	42. Chapter 28

**Dianna**

It was later that day. I was in one of the women's restrooms. The lights in the school had come back on.

In my fingers I held a long thin flat white plastic stick. It was a pregnancy test. A plus sin appeared in the little window.

It was either Puck or Cory's


End file.
